concerned”, said D. Hoeper and Pickering.
16
In addition, the theme is considered as the important information taken from the literary work. The information can be the human
experience, the comment on principle of individual characteristic and behavior, and the
conception of the person’s experience in the world.
According to Cleant Brooks, theme is an interpretation of the story itself. He continues, it is an interpretation of the world beyond the story. So, the story may be
interpreted because it has what we call a theme, as Brook defined, the governing idea
implicit in the original situation of conflict that becomes the focal idea in the end of the story.”
17
Hence, the idea of a story could be interpreted beyond the story itself to reveal
the values of life.
The writer recognizes that theme must have accordance to the kind of the story itself, whether it is comedy, horror or romantic. Theme can be built from other elements
of the story. It means theme is the story and the story is the theme. According to Brook that “Only when the theme is implicit in the other elements of a play and a dynamic
progression of the story can the story be said to exist at all”
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. So, it can be said that “the story is the theme and theme is the story.”
19
From several definitions of theme above, it can be concluded that every story
does not contain only one theme. It may contain more than one. Moreover, the theme
itself is every main point or the central insight revealed along the story that bring value of life that can be a moral lesson for the readers.
B. The Importance of Theme in a Story
16
James H. pickering and Jefeery D Hoeper, op. cit., p.61.
17
Cleanth Brooks, Joan Thibaut Purser, Robert Penn Warren, An Approach to Literature, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, Englewood Cliffs, 1964, 1967 , p. 15
18
Ibid., p.17.
19
Ibid., p.17.
The writer thinks that story must have a theme because of what has been written by X.J. Kennedy, that “theme is a center, moving force, the principle of unity.”
20
In the story, therefore, by having theme, it means that story has one center, in which all the
elements of stories meet. So, it has values to be shared to the people who read it. Conversely, if story doesn’t have a theme, it means that story runs in many ways and
does not have one center where all the elements of the story meet. So, it would be meaningless and the readers would not get something from what they read. As it stated
by Brooks and Warren that, “Themes as one essential part of short story is what is made of the topic. It is the comment on the topic that is implied in the process of the story. The
theme does not easy to shown. It shall be comprehended and interpreted through other data and story”.
21
It is often hard for the readers to know theme of a story by comprehending the
content of the story as unity, however theme will be easier to be found. Reading the
story repeatedly also helps to obtain the theme and understand the story. Next, it is important for people to know and get a theme in a story because it is
the way to make people have better awareness about anything they have understood after they read a story. The writer thinks that the elements in a story are also important.
For instance characters and plot must relate to the theme. If the author uses any piece element that is not related to the theme, it would
make confusion for the readers, and as a result they will not be able to get the idea of the stories. If a theme is about the goodness versus the badness, some characters must
reflect the good attitude and some reflect the bad attitudes. The good characters must describe that they really have positive sides to be against others who have negative
sides. Therefore, they will support the theme. So, every element of story must relate
20
X.J. Kennedy, op. cit., p. 104.
21
Brooks and Warren op cit, p. 265.
each other as stated by James Pickering H. and Jeffery D. Hoeper as they say in their book Concise Company of Literature, also said that “all parts of the piece of work should
contribute to develop, or relate to the theme in some way.”
22
Here are some ways to uncover the theme in a story: 1. Check out the title, sometimes it tells you a lot about the theme
2. Notice repeating patterns and symbols, sometimes these lead you to the theme
3. What allusion is made throughout the story? 4. What are the details and particulars in the story?
5. What greater meaning may they have?
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It is needed to remember that theme, plot, and structure are inseparable. All are helping to inform and reflect back on each other. Also, it needs to be aware that a theme
determine from a story never completely explains the story. It is simply one of the elements that make up the whole.
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C. The Ways the Author Deliver the Theme
