What is the thematic statement? If you have been asked to write one, then it is important for you to first know a thematic statement definition. In this article, you will understand all you need to know about a thematic statement.
What is a Thematic Statement?
A thematic statement refers to the main idea in a piece of literary work. The main idea could comprise important parts of the literature like the story’s plot, its characters, among others.
Now, it is important to note that a piece of literature could have more than one thematic statement. It could have as many as three or four themes. Also, you should know that a piece of literary work would never specifically mention its thematic statement. It is up to the reader to be able to tell the thematic statement and the thematic statement meaning present in the literature.
As a student who may be asked to provide one, here are the two main reasons for having a thematic statement in a piece of literature. First of all, a thematic statement helps you understand what you are writing in a clear and simple way. Secondly, it helps you to have an overview of the main message(s) of your literature.
What Qualities Should a Thematic Statement Have? What Does Thematic Statement Mean?
- It should be simple but easy to understand
When writing a thematic statement, simplicity is key. This means that your thematic statement should be able to fit in one small sentence. Now, that a thematic statement should fit into one sentence does not mean you should write it out like a topic. For example, if the theme of your story is love and anger, you should not just write, “The theme for this story is love and anger.” Rather, write something like, “Love can still be present in a relationship even when there is so much anger.”
Later on in this article, you will get some thematic sentence examples.
- It should reflect in the whole literature
A thematic statement should not just be present in one or two sentences or paragraphs. It should reflect in the entire message of the literature. This way, the reader is not confused about what thematic statements are present in the literature. For example, if you were talking about a love-hate relationship between siblings at the beginning of a story, try and end it with the same. If in the course of the story, the siblings reconcile, make sure you show the transition of the love-hate feeling to that of reconciliation. This way, your reader does not start to wonder how people who hated each other before now became best friends.
- It does not mention characters directly
When writing a thematic statement, you should not mention your characters by their name. Instead,
You shouldn’t mention a character in the text by the name. Instead, you can use the words like “a person”, “two people”, “an individual”, etc.
How to Write a Thematic Statement: Thematic Statement Format
- Read and understand the entire work
Whether it is your work or the work of another, this is the first step you take before writing a thematic statement. Make sure you are familiar with the plot, the writing style, the characters, and every other important aspect of the literature. When you fully understand what you read, it will be easier to write a thematic statement.
- There is no need for specifics
When writing a thematic statement, you do not need to go into the details of what happened. What a thematic statement does is summarize why something happened.
- A thematic statement is not a moral lesson
Sometimes, when writing a thematic statement, you may be tempted to draw out a moral lesson. However, that is not what should happen. In a thematic statement, you should try to keep things as original as they are.
What is a Thematic Statement Example?
Here are some examples that will guide you into writing a thematic statement:
Theme: Love and Sacrifice
Bad Thematic Statement: The theme for this is love and sacrifice
Good Thematic Statement: Love and sacrifice go hand-in-hand when it comes to building a long-lasting relationship
Theme: Poverty
Bad Thematic Statement: The main theme in this story is poverty
Good Thematic Statement: Poverty in this novel shows that it is not only the absence of money but rather, the absence of regard for others
Conclusion
What does a thematic statement look like? With the tips in this article, you now understand what a thematic is and how to write one.
