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The main idea or topic of a story refers to the subject matter or what the story is about, whereas the theme is the underlying message or moral that the author conveys through the story. The main idea can be stated directly, while the theme is often more abstract and open to interpretation.

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βˆ™ 5d ago
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βˆ™ 11y ago

The theme of a story is the moral, or what the author wants the reader to take from the story, i.e. 'be careful what you wish for,' 'don't count your chickens before they're hatched,' 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. The theme is usually less obvious than the topic. The topic or main idea is what the story is about literally; i.e. the Holocaust, a wizarding world in which 3 main characters have adventures, a boy seeking out his future, talking bats, etc.

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Q: How do you distinguish the topic or main idea of the story from the theme of the story?
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Related questions

What is The topic or key idea that holds a story together is called the?

theme


What is the name for a topic or key idea that hold a story or poem together?

A theme.


What does the word theme means?

In literature, a theme is the main topic or idea in a story. It can be a point an author is trying to communicate that may be stated directly or indirectly in the story.


What does the theme means?

In literature, a theme is the main topic or idea in a story. It can be a point an author is trying to communicate that may be stated directly or indirectly in the story.


What is the difference between the theme of a story and the main idea?

The meaning of theme in a story is a main idea that is consistent throughout the story.


what is themeΒ ?

The main idea that a story is built on. A universal truth of the human heart. Theme is the basic message of the story, like the morals of Aesop's Fables. You can find theme by asking yourself 'What is the author trying to tell the readers?" or "What is the message of this story?" It's not usually stated directly, but you can find the theme by looking for things that are stressed or repeated in the story. The official definition of the word theme is "the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic."


Which part of a story is most helpful to the reader in identifying a theme?

Look for an idea that links parts of the story or for patterns of images and ideas The theme refers to the central idea or concept in a work of fiction, One function of the theme is to give a sense of unity, and The theme of a work is not the same thing as its subject or topic.


What does a thesis statement should include?

An identified theme or main idea of the story


What does the author's approach to telling the story suggest about its theme?

The author's approach to telling the story can suggest the theme by highlighting certain aspects of the plot, characters, or setting. For example, a nonlinear narrative structure might suggest themes of memory or perception. A first-person point of view could emphasize themes of subjectivity or individual experience. The author's choice of language, tone, and imagery can also contribute to conveying the theme of the story.


What is a central idea of the poem?

The central idea of a poem is the main theme that is represented in the poem. Topic is another word for theme.


What is an idea or topic expanded in a discourse discussion etc?

theme


What is the difference between main idea and the topic?

A topic is what the story is about. For example, the topic is on animal life The main idea is one sentence in the story telling what the story is about. For example, the topic is the movie 'Atonement'.The main idea of 'Atonement', for example, could be 'the need to make up for your wrongs' .