The 5 Most Common Themes In Literature
Ever wondered why some themes come up again and again? In this post, we’ll look at 5 of the most common themes in literature and what makes them so special.
What’s In A Theme?
What’s essential for a great novel? Great characters and a ripping plot are the obvious answers. However, without an underlying theme, you can’t craft a bestseller.
It’s the theme that gives the story deeper meaning, an insight into the human condition, and what draws readers back again (Need to check what a theme is? Please read What Is A Theme? 3 Steps To Help You Find Your Story’s Theme).
If it’s the theme that decides how well a book will do with the readers, it can’t hurt to know the most common themes, can it? Let’s take a look.
The 5 Most Common Themes In Literature
There’s no official ranking here. But research quickly reveals what comes up time and again. I’ll list the most common themes and give examples from stories you’ll hopefully know.
1. Good Versus Evil
This is probably the most archetypal of all themes because it’s directly linked to the dual nature of every human. It provides the classic framework for most conflicts. It pits virtue, justice, and light against evil, corruption, and darkness.
This theme can be explored externally by two opposing characters, as well as internally, making individual characters oscillate between the two poles. This is why it’s so archetypal – each of us has good and bad character traits.
Please take a look at J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Here, the virtuous fellowship of the ring battles the dark forces of Sauron’s evil henchmen. The fate of Middle-earth is at stake. The theme of good versus evil is the world-defining force. It is also raging inside Frodo, who is virtuous by nature, but wearing the ring makes him realise the pull of the evil forces.
2. Coming Of Age
This theme is so popular and essential to the human condition that it exists as its own genre. It’s called ‘Bildungsroman.’
This theme usually starts off showing the hero as a young child, virtuous and innocent. As the main character grows up physically, he or she is confronted with a disillusioning society. As naivety is lost, the character mourns the end of childhood. Adulthood begins with complete disillusionment. The character typically develops by figuring out individual values, trying to balance childlike innocence with adult sobriety.
Again, this theme is explored both externally and internally. The outward growth of the characters symbolises their mental and emotional growth.
In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield is expelled from prep school. Travelling through New York, he complains about the ‘phoniness’ of the grown-ups, signifying the loss of his innocence and his search for his own values.
3. Love And Sacrifice
The power of this theme lies in the fact that it’s the foundation of human society. Without love, we wouldn’t experience either friendship or family.
Let’s not forget that love itself exists in so many forms, and they can all be explored in stories. This can range from friendship to unrequited love, from romantic pining to full-blown sexual passion.
This theme asks the main characters to make monumental choices. Love is usually their motivation to make a sacrifice, often trading their own happiness for the well-being of the loved one.
In O. Henry’s short story The Gift Of The Magi, we meet Della and Jim. They both sacrifice their most valuable possessions to buy a Christmas present. This is tragic because each sacrifice makes the gift received useless. Love is shown not in the value of the gifts but in the willingness to sacrifice. The story illustrates how love makes us do things that defy logic but embody emotional truth.
4. Power And Corruption
This theme usually starts off showing the main character’s ascent to power. The hero needs to embody certain virtues at the beginning. This will make the initial gain of power look like a well-deserved reward. But as the power increases, the hero’s moral flaws gain the upper hand. Readers witness the internal moral corruption, often mirrored by the outer world’s corruption as well.
This theme can be explored as an individual’s struggle. But often we see the theme on a grander scale as well. Political ambition, greed, social hierarchy, and even war – they all play into this theme.
A classic example can be found in the Star Wars movies, where the character of Anakin Skywalker is introduced as an innocent child. He is slowly groomed by the evil Emperor as his disciple. The more Anakin’s soul is corrupted by power, the more his body receives machine-like body parts. Finally, his human face is hidden by a robot helmet. Anakin is now called Lord Darth Vader. In the end, we watch Darth Vader being redeemed as he shows love for his son, Luke Skywalker.
5. Individual Versus Society
This theme is ultimately connected to the theme of coming of age (see 2). In the literary world, the process of growing up is painful. Heroes must define their own individuality first and then must struggle with society to eventually find their place.
This boils down to the battle of the individual’s free will against society’s collective will. Issues that come into play here are the rebellion of the individual, the price of freedom, the price of assimilation, as well as power, control, and conformity.
Each of these can be seen as both negative and positive. For example, assimilation can be seen as confinement and conformity, but also as protection.
In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, we witness a constant struggle between the individual and society. The main character, Katniss Everdeen, rebels against the system by taking her younger sister’s place in a ritual called the ‘reaping.’ Yet she also plays along with society’s rules by engaging in the ritual. Surviving it, she breaks these rules again and then redefines them.
More Common Themes To Explore
There are so many more themes to explore in literature. Here’s a short list to give you an idea (it’s by no means extensive).
- Loss and grief
- Revenge, redemption and forgiveness
- Freedom versus oppression
- Mortality and death
- Identity and self-discovery
- Justice versus inequality
- Fate versus free will
- Pride and prejudice
- Change versus tradition
Can Novels Have More Than One Theme?
Yes and no. Considering that a theme is the central idea of your novel, your story should gravitate around this single centre. If not, you’ll water down the story’s overall message, and the impact on the reader will be less powerful.
However, as the above examples show, some themes play into each other, and you can certainly hint at other themes, especially with the minor characters. Just make sure that everything boils down to your central idea. This is the driving force of your plot.
Read: A Case Study For Deep Theme In Pride And Prejudice
The Last Word
Knowing about the most common themes is a strategic decision every writer should make. It’s essential to know if the theme of your story is a common one or not.
Remember that the most common themes are popular for a reason. It’s because they describe the most basic situations of the human condition. As readers, we’ve been there. That’s why it’s so interesting to see how others solve these struggles, even if they’re literary characters.
These themes aren’t just popular with readers but also with publishers. Writing about a common theme in an unconventional way is almost a guarantee for a marketable book. If you want a book deal, know the market!
You also need to know what to avoid. Steer clear of clichés. Well-trodden paths can be boring. If you want to discover something new, use a theme that’s not used that often. It will be much more challenging for you as a writer to hook your readers, but it might be all the more rewarding.
If you want to know more about how to implement a theme in your story, please read This Theme Thing.
By Susanne Bennett. Susanne is a German-American writer who is a journalist by trade and a writer by heart. After years of working at German public radio and an online news portal, she has decided to accept challenges by Deadlines for Writers. Currently she is writing her first novel with them. She is known for overweight purses and carrying a novel everywhere. Follow her on Facebook.
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1 thought on “The 5 Most Common Themes In Literature”
Excellent article!
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