In a post on Writer Unboxed, Donald Maass ponders the difference between theme and meaning, and offers advice for injecting purpose into your novel.
According to Maass, theme is a lesson. With theme, the writer sends a message about how we should live, how we can do better. A novel with meaning, in contrast, shows us life as it is. “Novels like that are not prescriptive but descriptive,” Maass says. “They tell us not how to change, but that we don’t need to. We’re beautiful the way we are.”
“One argues and provokes,” he continues. “The other mirrors and reassures. One judges. The other does not. One is purposeful. The other is profound. One issues alerts. The other adds meaning. One pushes hope or fear. The other reminds us to accept pain and embrace joy. One warns or uplifts. The other reassures or laments.”
So, how can you add meaning to your novel? How can you explore theme to share a lesson you’ve learned? Maass suggests some questions to ask:
- What point do you want to make? Which character will make this point for you and when?
- Which character sees the layers in your point? Which character resists the point? Which character holds an opposing opinion?
- Is there a question you can’t answer? Pose it and let the reader decide for themselves.
- What’s wrong with the world? What could help?
Find more good questions at the link below.
