Theme is what makes a fictional story vital, what makes it be discussed, and what makes it memorable even centuries after it has been written.

Fiction’s number one goal, obviously, is to entertain. If that fact is not clear enough, I don’t know how to make it any more-so. When it comes to discussing my reasons for writing fiction with fans and/or at presentations, I like to begin by giving reference to pretty much any folklorist’s remarks about how such stories have come to be, and how it evolved to what we see of it in the present. One funny thing I hear critics say about this is that fiction is pointless, and that indulging in fictional literature is a waste of time. My response to this is: firstly, everyone indulges in entertainment–that’s how we live in society; secondly, fiction can do much more than entertain. When done correctly, any work of fiction can teach us a great deal of subjects–this is done through Theme. It is this second reason that I’m going to address today…

It’s almost expected of a fictional writer, aspiring or experienced, to admit that the reason why they create such stories is because their minds are bloated with thoughts, ideas, and personal impressions of the world. Sometimes (in my case, for instance), fiction is the best way we can demonstrate concerns we wish to address to our audience. One of the best examples of this is through George Orwell’s ‘1984’. You don’t even have to have read the book to have an idea of what the story is about: It is set is in the dystopian future, where the government (nicknamed Big Brother) has complete control of her citizens–so much so that any single thought outside of Big Brother’s control is not tolerated in the slightest.

This story-line is well-known in our modern culture; but if you read the book thoroughly and with an open mind, you will see how exact Orwell’s messages are to the reader. George Orwell had much wisdom in the realm of society, social classes, politics, and the nature of Man’s mind when involved in such things. All this was from his experiences observing these matters; the most notable of which was his involvement with the Marxist division of the Republican Army during the Spanish Civil War (mentioned in his book ‘Homage to Catolonia’).

 

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During this time, Orwell was introduced to what he saw as the indignities of authoritarianism (both in fascist and Stalinist forms). With his ideas from such exposure, he took up the challenge to express his political agendas through the art of fiction. Toward the end of his life, he devoted all his literary writing to addressing the issues he saw in the world.

George Orwell is easily not the only writer to include strong themes in his works. Dickens did also, so did Hawthorne, Hugo, Tolkien, Rowling, and hundreds more. In my case, the themes I include in my books are one of the two main reasons why I write in ‘The Tales of Draco’ and even ‘Fairy Tales’, the other being the point that I simply wish to entertain the reader. Theme is what makes a fictional story vital, what makes it be discussed, and what makes it memorable even centuries after it has been written. Besides, it is under entertainment when the audience is more open-minded.

When writing a treatise or an essay, you are targeting a specific audience; and you are able to expand on the concerns your audience is seeking in the first place. In fiction, however, you may not be able to be as clear and concise in addressing your points (except when you have that one character who explains it all in a multi-paged monologue). But when you tell a story, and your audience has their minds open and ready to be entertained, you can introduce them to your agenda and reel them in.

So now you know that fiction isn’t pointless. Entertainment alone isn’t pointless in the first place if indulged moderately! But when you add themes to your work, to discuss a matter as well as to entertain, your story will have much more depth, and that is how stories stand the test of time.

 

 

Since Jordan Jolley was a student in Elementary School, he’s devoted much of his time to writing. Though still young, he continues to prepare himself for a long yet adventurous journey in writing. He currently lives in Dayton, Idaho where he is creating the next chapter of The Tales of Draco series.