How Do You Identify A Short Story Theme?
Following the plot of a short story is fine, but the discerning reader will be able to identify the theme of the story. The theme is the message the writer uses the story to convey to the reader about life in general. Understanding the theme gives the reader an additional level of appreciation for a short story. You can identify a short story theme by following a few easy steps. Understand the main character. Analyzing the main character is an important part of discovering the theme. List the physical and intangible attributes of the main character. Decide if the reader is supposed to identify with the main character or if she is someone the reader doesn’t (or shouldn’t) want to be. Identify the conflict. The conflict in a short story always involves the main character. The conflict can be between the main character and another, society or some force of nature, or within the main character himself. Figure out specifically who or what the main character is struggling against in the shor
