4. Theory of theme
Perrine, in Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, defines the theme as controlling or the central idea of a fiction. It describes the life generalization that
is stated and implied by the story. It means that the author tries to present that the theme is the idea of a story. The theme will happen when the author tries to
explain the truth of life and to introduce a certain concept of life 1974: 49. There are some principles to be considered when a theme is to be stated:
a. The theme must be stated in a statement form and concern with the subject and predicate.
b. The theme must be a generalization about life. To define the theme, the use of character’s name must be avoidable in order to lead into specific
statement. c. The generalization of the theme should not be larger that is justified by the
term of the story. The use of terms like some and sometimes are more preferable than term like every, all, and always.
d. Theme is the central and unifying concept of the story. So the theme must be related to something that exists inside the story.
e. There is no one way of stating the theme of a story. f. The theme should not be expressed in familiar expression or sentences
because it will make essential meaning of the story not conveyed 1974: 107-109.
Aside of Perrine, Kenney’s How to Analyze Fiction, he states theme is the total meaning discovered by the writer in the process of writing and by the reader
in the process of reading 1996: 497. Which means the author finds theme for the first time as whole, and then the author put it into text through writing, later it can
be gained by the readers while they are reading the story. The readers need to read thoroughly on the author’s elaboration of the truth of life or the concept of life
throughout a story as Perrine stated 1974: 49. According to Kennedy and Gioia there are several things to be considered
in order to find a theme of a story. As they write in An Introduction to Fiction they suggest: 1 Does the character change over the course of the story; 2 Does
the character left the readers with any realization or understanding; 3 Do the characters make any general observations about life or human nature; 4 Does the
story have significant setting description; 5 Does your statement of theme hold true of the story as a whole 2010: 185. It is clear that Kennedy and Gioia
highlights examining some intrinsic elements can lead to find the theme in the story.
5. Relation of Character, Setting and Theme
In order to discover the theme of the story the researcher is demanded to understand the relation of character, setting and theme. Related to the relation
between character and setting, in An Introduction to Reading and Writing, Roberts and Jacobs state that the characteristics of the characters can be influenced by the
setting in a story 1987: 218. Putting forward the idea of setting which may influence characters, Guth and Rico state that the setting has a major role in
shaping the theme and it also mirrors general mood signals of the existing atmosphere as in their Discovering Literature as the following quotation,
…the setting plays a major role in shaping the characters, the action, or the theme of a story… The setting may mirror a prevailing mood… the setting
of a story often shapes character. It helps make people what they are 1997: 35-36.
In line with Guth and Rico, Rohrberger and Woods have similar statement concerning intrinsic elements, character and setting. They state that there is a
close relationship between character and setting. Commonly, the characteristic of a setting in a story may influence the characters. It can even be inferred that the
characteristic pattern of a person will be formed by the condition of his environment. The setting never exists by itself. It explains the characters and
situation and influences the atmosphere 1971: 22. In addition Cleanth Brooks suggests a principle of organic relationship. He
suggests that each part of the story is related to each other. As intrinsic elements related to each other in the need of a story to be becomes a good story. The
character, the setting and the theme are needed to form a good story as well as other intrinsic elements. The quotation below reflects the earlier principle that
Brooks suggests, But the elements of fiction are related to each other, not as blossoms
juxtaposed in a bouquet, but as the blossoms are related to other parts of a growing plant…the flowering of the whole plant, and needs the stalk, the
leaf, and the hidden roots. Brooks, 1998: 758 For that reason, the relation of character, setting, and theme is important to
be understood in order to catch the central idea of a story. In that case identifying and examining the character and the setting give the researcher a big help via
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