Theme is the central topic, message, or underlying idea of a literary work. It is what the work says about its subject, such as love, power, loss, identity, or justice, and it is usually conveyed through characters, plot, imagery, and symbolism rather than stated directly.

A work can have multiple themes, and readers may interpret them differently. Themes are often universal, connecting the text to broader human experience, and they are distinct from the plot, which is the sequence of events.

Key points

• Central message or idea
• Conveyed indirectly
• Can be multiple and open to interpretation
• Distinct from plot