Theme setups, commenter examples

I'm just going to take some themes offered by the commenters and suggest stuff, but just as an example-- could be entirely wrong for the story, etc. Standard disclaimers apply. No hard feelings, okay? :)

Murphy:

Okay, the main theme is: redefining ‘preconceived’ ideas about a romantic relationship and dealing honestly with the subsequent needs that drive the desire for a meaningful partnership.

This feels more like a journey than a theme. The theme is about the whole book, not a character. Themes really aren't initially that complex usually-- they're either statements ("First impressions are deceptive") to be exemplified or concepts ("fate") to be explored. The above is probably a good character journey, but a story is more than the journey of a character, and the theme should probably be more ... flexible.

Let's take that "First impressions are deceptive." That's pretty simple and obvious. It's also the theme (one of the themes) of Austen's Pride and Prejudice. And I think it bears some relation to your theme above. But notice that it's not just the heroine who has a faulty first impression of the hero. He has a faulty first impression of her. And all through the story, there are examples of first impressions being right (everyone's first impression of Rev. Collins, that he's a self-righteous social climber, is correct), and long-derived impressions being wrong (Mr. Darcy's father is completely wrong to trust his protegee Lt. Wickham). So the simple "first impressions are wrong; long acquaintance impression is right" is not sufficient. Only by reading the entire book does the reader evolve the somewhat more nuanced theme that First impressions are deceptive. (They wouldn't be deceptive if they weren't sometimes true.)

And throughout the story, there are all sorts of contributors to the process of this theme. There's the main story (as someone says, "About a man who changes his manners, and a woman who changes her mind"), but there are other subplots and revelations that add to our growing understanding of first impressions. For example, the Jane-Bingley romance starts off shockingly well-- both of these pleasant people seem to fall in love quickly and readily. But as Jane learns, Bingley is too willing to believe that he was deceived by his first impression of her, and she herself must face the reality that this perfect young man has a terrible flaw-- in his eagerness not to be too gullible to her, he is too easily persuaded against her.

Even the reader might have a first impression that proves faulty. Mr. Bennett, Lizzie's father, at first seems charmingly wry, and her mother a monster of materialism. But (and not every reader will come to this conclusion!) through longer acquaintance, the Bennetts reveal themselves as more than their first impressions-- Mr. Bennett is a rather awful father, and Mrs. Bennett, for all her many faults, at least does care about providing for her many daughters.

And the theme which sounds so simple becomes increasingly complex as more complicated examples and developments emerge in the story. For example, Lizzie and Darcy actually benefit from their rash and negative opinion-formation, because they have nowhere to go but up in their mutual esteem. Jane, however, starts out adoring her Bingley, and can never quite again achieve that level of respect once he has proven himself less than worthy. BUT... he actually becomes more worthy when he starts to think for himself-- and what does he think? That his first, admiring impression was correct.

So-- I use that example because it seems that you're also working with initial impressions or attitudes. I hate to be reductive, but think about boiling your maybe too-individualized observation into something a little more general and universal. Not that you shouldn't individualize the STORY... but the theme is usually more open, more universal.

Breaking it down, I would say that the heroine has to redefine what she wants because she has changed whereas, the hero has to change to redefine what he wants. I see the events that are introduced at the beginning - more in way of being plot driven with an undercurrent of change - maybe time for change...and the main inciting event is the catalyst for this change. That one character is forced to change due to circumstances and the other is making a conscious change because of circumstances. How would you set this up in an opening?

Okay, I think your theme might be about change, more change of identity and self-image ?? Anyway, I think that change as a theme means starting with the "before"-- what's the world and character like before the change? But also, what in the world and character mean they need change, that change is not just inevitable but maybe necessary? Show that. For example, if the heroine is afraid of change, then she pretty much has to change to overcome that fear. So-- just an example! -- she can be at the hairdresser's (this is a dumb example) and the hairdresser can say, "Oh, I saw this really cute cut that would do wonders for you!" and the heroine refuses. Or she sticks with her current boyfriend because he's reliable. As far as motifs, I'd be thinking of motifs that have something to do with lists or instructions or formulas, just to set up that notion of doing things by the book, of following a recipe. (And the motif can change each time to reflect where the theme is, like after the big change, maybe she tries to cook and realizes she doesn't have all the ingredients in the recipe, and then maybe at the end, she looks at a recipe and then closes the book and improvises and it works. Notice if "recipe" or "cooking" is the motif, it's not enough just to have her improvise at the end-- you want to show her having a recipe there and refusing to use it-- need the concrete object of the recipe to carry the symbol.)

But I don't know if that works-- I just think "change" is more what your theme seems to be about than romance-- that is, the PLOT is romance, the JOURNEY is towards a healthy relationship, but the THEME is about handling change. Maybe? I don't know, but try pulling away a bit from your exact plot journey and think about what it MEANS. The "why," not the "what".

Next up when my hand is not so numb--

Anonymous said...

How about: being true to your dream(s)?

Alicia