As I’ve written about before, Theme is really – most simply – the takeaway message of your story. It’s that universal “big idea” that your story adds up to or proves out.
For some writers, finally grasping this concept of theme is a huge leap forward in their understanding of how stories work, how all of the pieces fit together. But even when you’re comfortable with that idea of theme, working with it – putting it into practice – can still be challenging.
The first step in working with theme is choosing the theme you want to work with. So today I want to expand on our theme discussion a bit and offer a few tips on what makes an effective theme to write from – aka a “writable” theme.
Rethinking Theme
Here’s a framework that might help: think about your story as a persuasive essay which, through the evidence it presents, leads the audience to a final thought or conclusion about the world or life or humanity.
Everything in the screenplay relates to and helps explore or argue that conclusion. Everything in the screenplay adds up to that final thought, or at least leads us to consider that takeaway message even if we ultimately don’t agree with it. That’s what I mean when I say your screenplay is having “one conversation about one thing.”
With that in mind, then here are just a couple of thoughts to keep in mind when brainstorming possible thematic ideas:
1. The story’s theme probably isn’t one word
One word, like “love” or “revenge” or “survival,” might give you a starting point, somewhere to begin narrowing in on the actual takeaway message. Ultimately, your story as a whole will say something a bit more complete or definite about that topic – that’s just the way stories work.
If you don’t decide what that message is, your audience will still try to find the takeaway because that’s what our brains are looking for in stories. We’re trying to see the cause-and-effect connections between events. We’re looking for some deeper meaning in the chaos of life. That’s just how humans are built.
However: even though your story’s theme will ultimately be a more complete thought, I do think it’s okay if you feel you can’t get any more specific right now than that one-word idea. Totally fine to write a first draft knowing your story is about “parental love” but not knowing precisely what you want to say on the topic. When you get through that first draft, the takeaway message is often much clearer to you. (And if not to you, then maybe to an objective reader – like me!)
2. Two flavors of movie themes
From my admittedly not-at-all-scientific survey of movies, it seems like themes tend to fall into one of two categories:
- Survival messages, or “Rules for Living” and
- Hope messages, or “There’s Beauty in the Struggle.”
In the first kind, the movie imparts some lesson or advice on how to successfully navigate life. Messages on how to be a better, more happy, fulfilled, or productive person fall into this category. As do messages on how to live a better life, how to have better relationships, and even how to survive at all (literally or figuratively).
Examples that come to mind:
- “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (Absolute Power)
You might feel like this isn’t really instruction or advice, but I’d argue it’s a call to action. It is advising us on how to live -– as in, don’t be a “good” person who lets evil triumph.
- “The approval of others isn’t what makes you a ‘winner’, it’s living by your own standards.” (Little Miss Sunshine)
In the second kind, the movie’s theme is less of an instruction about how to live or be, and more of an observation about how life or the world works, perhaps something we must accept or understand in order to get by or find peace or fulfillment. It might shed light on something about our shared experience or humanity. These movies tell us we’re not alone, and in that way they offer hope, or inspire, or lighten our load in some way.
Examples of this type of theme:
- “Great love defies even death.” (Titanic; Romeo & Juliet)
- “Life is precious and worth the struggle.” (Jungle Cruise)
So, to combine these two thoughts: No matter which thematic area you’re exploring (like “love” or “revenge” or “survival” or “parental love”), the precise theme – that takeaway message or conclusion or thought that’s imparted by the movie – will likely fall into one of these two types. Whatever you’re saying about love or revenge, for example, will probably be a Rule for Living in relation to love or revenge, or a Hope message in relation to love or revenge.
Is there overlap between the two categories? Sure. You don’t have to make sure your theme falls into one or the other. I offer these not as rules to follow but as prompts to help you understand, recognize, and work with theme going forward.
How can you get better at choosing themes for your screenplays?
One thing that can help you get better at working with theme is to start by honing your ability to recognize theme. So start paying attention to that aspect of the movies (and books) you consume. Be deliberate about it (in the “deliberate practice” sense). Start a library of the themes you notice.
That library can serve as a reference as you’re learning about how theme works in stories, and you might make some useful observations about what kinds of themes resonate most with you, and about how effective themes aren’t usually unique thoughts. More often they’ll be pretty common or mundane, and in that way feel more universal or relevant.
And when you’re in creation mode and working on new stories, you’ll also be able to use this library as a quick starting point to find a working theme for your work in progress.