Which term is used for the overall message or lesson in a story?

Which term is used for the overall message or lesson in a story?

• A. Theme
• B. Point Of View
• C. Subheading
• D. Main Idea

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is recognizing the message or lesson a story conveys. The term for that overarching idea is theme. A theme is the bigger meaning the author wants you to take away about life or people, and it’s often revealed through how characters change, what challenges they face, and what the story implies about human nature. It’s not the same as what happens in the plot—that's the main idea of the events. It’s also different from point of view, which is who is telling the story, and from a subheading, which is just a label used to organize sections. So, the overall message or lesson a story communicates is the theme.

The main idea being tested is recognizing the message or lesson a story conveys. The term for that overarching idea is theme. A theme is the bigger meaning the author wants you to take away about life or people, and it’s often revealed through how characters change, what challenges they face, and what the story implies about human nature. It’s not the same as what happens in the plot—that's the main idea of the events. It’s also different from point of view, which is who is telling the story, and from a subheading, which is just a label used to organize sections. So, the overall message or lesson a story communicates is the theme.