Theme. It’s a literary device that manifests through the authorship of the reader. They ascribe meaning to something the writer might not have intended to contain meaning. As writers, who are readers ourselves, we are aware of the opportunities to express theme. We want to engage the reader on a subtextual level, examining ideas that exist beyond the narrative through the lenses of morality, cosmology, and philosophy.

We must be mindful not to “impress the theme” on our readers. I will re-read a passage and be like “Wow, I’m trying too hard to drive this point home in a poetic, abstract fashion.” As writers, our first obligation is to tell the story and tell the story well. Thematic interpretation, to some degree, is out of our control. At least for me, I’m trying not to impress theme.

Another aspect to what makes writing so challenging, yet, so fun.