Theme seeds

Possible Universal Human Concepts in Literature

Remember that it is not enough to simply say that X is the theme…you MUST indicate what the author is saying about X.

 A theme is a full thought/sentence, at least! 

1.  Adolescence – discovery, pain, loneliness

2.  Alienation – destruction of soul

3.  Ambition – persistence or corruption

4.  Appearances – deception and reality

5.  Beauty of diversity

6.  Beauty of simplicity

7.  Capitalism – effect on the individual

8.  Change of power – necessity

9.  Change versus tradition

10.  Chaos and order

11.  Character – destruction, building up

12.  Circle of life

13.  Coming of age

14.  Communication – verbal and nonverbal

15.  Companionship as salvation

16.  Convention and rebellion

17.  Dangers of ignorance

18.  Darkness and light

19.  Death – inevitable or tragedy

20.  Desire to escape

21.  Destruction of beauty

22.  Disillusionment and dreams 23.  Displacement

24.  Empowerment

25.  Emptiness of attaining false dream

26.  Everlasting love

27.  Evils of racism

28.  Facing darkness

29.  Facing reality

30.  Fading beauty

31.  Faith versus doubt

32.  Family – blessing or curse

33.  Fate and free will  

34.  Fear of failure

35.  Female roles

36.  Fulfillment

37.  Good versus bad

38.  Greed as downfall

39.  Growing up – pain or pleasure

40.  Hazards of passing judgment

41.  Heartbreak of betrayal

42.  Heroism – real and perceived 43.  Hierarchy in nature

44.  Identity crisis

45.  Illusion of power

46.  Immortality

47.  Individual versus society

48.  Inner versus outer strength

49.  Injustice

50.  Isolation

51.  Isolationism – hazards

52.  Knowledge versus ignorance

53.  Loneliness as destructive force

54.  Losing hope

55.  Loss of innocence

56.  Lost honor

57.  Lost love

58.  Love and sacrifice

59.  Man against nature

60.  Manipulation

61.  Materialism as downfall

62.  Motherhood

63.  Names – power and significance

64.  Nationalism – complications

65.  Nature as beauty

66.  Necessity of work

67.  Oppression of women

68.  Optimism – power or folly

69.  Overcoming – fear, weakness, vice

70.  Patriotism – positive side or complications

71.  Power and corruption

72.  Power of silence

73.  Power of tradition

74.  Power of wealth

75.  Power of words

76.  Pride and downfall

77.  Progress – real or illusion

78.  Quest for discovery

79.  Quest for power

80.  Rebirth

81.  Reunion

82.  Role of men

83.  Role of Religion – virtue or hypocrisy

84.  Role of women

85.  Self – inner and outer

86.  Self-awareness

87.  Self-preservation

88.  Self-reliance

89.  Social mobility

90.  Technology in society – good or bad

91.  Temporary nature of physical beauty

92.  Temptation and destruction

93.  Totalitarianism

94.  Vanity as downfall

95.  Vulnerability of the meek

96.  Vulnerability of the strong

97.  War – glory, necessity, pain, tragedy

98.  Will to survive

99.  Wisdom of experience

100.  Working class struggles

101.  Youth and beauty