Hey everyone! Fridays (well, the Fridays when I'm active on here) are usually when I post another book review. There are so many great books out there and it's incredible to have an opportunity to share them with the world. However, since I haven't been reading as much lately, I thought it would be fun to do something a little different in my posting schedule.
So, give a temporary welcome back to Bookish Opinions!
For these next few weeks the "bookish opinions" will be truly "bookish", as I'm going to be not only taking examples of the topics I'm blogging about from books, but also from...movies! The drastic topic change may seem strange, but I think that there's something to be learned from this type of media too, especially when thinking about books to pick, read, and write. After all, aren't movies stories too?
Today I'll be talking about themes in story, and more importantly how they can be shown.
The Facts
No theme, no story. This statement may sound harsh, but readers from all walks of life will agree with me that to be enjoyed, a book (or movie!) must have some sort of meaning. If you can't relate to (or at least admire) any of the characters, can't appreciate the stakes, and don't understand what's being fought for, more often than not you'll walk away feeling like you wasted a couple hours of your life. Theme is important, and theme, like it or not, keeps people engaged or distracted.
How do you do it, though? What themes should be told through story, and how do you create it in a way that draws audiences in, even if they don't agree with your perspective? There are two separate ways I've seen this done, and though each has different varieties, they each are able to communicate what's behind the surface in a different way.
The Theme Is The Story
This first option presents the theme in a more noticeable way. Also known as the allegory, this branch of communicating theme shows settings, characters, and situations as subtle or not-so-subtle representations of the theme, the theme's qualities, and the struggle to preserve/protect the theme. Many allegories are set in fantastical worlds. One of the most well known examples of an allegory is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is also an example of an allegory. Some film examples of this are Disney's Zootopia, and its Zombies franchise.
Allegories, if done well, have you appreciating the characters, setting, and other story elements while also being aware of the hidden meaning behind many of the actions and plot points. However, allegories can also have a tendency to be preachy or overbearing.
The Theme Drives The Story
Another well known way of communicating theme is through the story itself. Rather than focusing all aspects of the book, movie, or show in question on the issues at hand, the writer allows the quest, adventure, or mission to draw the attention while making it clear that there is an underground clash between the strength of the theme and the obstacles opposing its victory. There are so many great examples of this it's hard to list them all, but a few of the ones I've found in literature are the Vanderbeekers series, Kaley and Rhonda Rhea's Off-Script and Over-Caffeinated, Gene Edwards' The Silas Diary, and Edward Eager's Half Magic. Some examples of this in film are Lemonade Mouth, Stargate: Atlantis, How to Train Your Dragon, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Mattel's Ever After High franchise.
When the theme drives the story, it's easier to appreciate the rest of it, and drives the writer to create a larger, more solid work. It also gives more encouragement to discuss and ponder the ideas mentioned for yourself, since the theme is not as prevalent or spelled out.
Theme In Writing
So how might a writer try to communicate a theme, given that their work is a theme-written or a theme-driven one? For allegories, it's often noted that writers pick out certain characters and/or situations to represent different places in life where the theme is approved or tested. Allegory is all about representation, so it's very likely that writers will create appearances, certain behavioral qualities, and even certain reactions to the same situation to embody everything they want to show a facet of a theme as.
For theme-driven, it's all about subtlety. Writers are more likely to sit down and brainstorm ideas about how to show their characters' struggles with the theme within rather than having them show it. Situations and plotting, too, must have the theme woven in. Authors working in this type of story must have a way to show whether the theme "wins" or not in the end, by a closer look at everything that they have taking place.
Themes themselves come in all shapes and sizes. Often writers write about themes that are close to their hearts, minds, and lives. Themes often turn out to be universal truths, as the story in question touches on many feelings and ideas various audiences can relate to.
In Short...
There are two main ways to show a theme: through allegory, or through the story itself. While an allegory is usually very clear about the theme being shown and the author's stance on it, stories that aren't allegorical often hide their theme through layers of character development, actions taken, and story battles won or lost.
Allegories are wonderful, however, I find myself drifting more towards the opposite. Part of me enjoys the excitement of discovering for myself what the theme is, as well as the journey the characters take to get there. Seems a bit ironic, but it's hard for me to understand many allegories, as it's so easy for me to take what they're communicating at face value rather than delving to the deeper thoughts and perspectives within.
No matter what type you prefer, you can't deny that allegories AND non-allegories both have theme. And theme continues to be powerful, especially through today.
Thanks for letting me share this Bookish Opinion! I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you have anything to add, have an example I didn't list, or just want to share your thoughts. I would love to hear what you have to say.
Next week, join me for another opinion post!
(The photos used were taken by Joyce McCown, Devin Avery, and Ian Chen of Unsplash.)[
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