Tuesday 26 November 2013
Common Book Themes
So you are thinking of writing a book, but don't know what about? How about starting with choosing one or two primary themes. I like this list of 101 Common Book Themes by About.Com. Actually, I came upon this list recently while preparing one of my freshmen classes; I imagine our topic for the day was something like themes and archetypes.
Beauty of simplicity
Capitalism – effect on the individual
Change of power - necessity
Change versus tradition
Chaos and order
Character – destruction, building up
Circle of life
Coming of age
Communication – verbal and nonverbal
Companionship as salvation
Convention and rebellion
Dangers of ignorance
Darkness and light
Death – inevitable or tragedy
Desire to escape
Destruction of beauty
Disillusionment and dreams
Displacement
Empowerment
Emptiness of attaining false dream
Everlasting love
Evils of racism
Facing darkness
Facing reality
Fading beauty
Faith versus doubt
Family – blessing or curse
Fate and free will
Fear of failure
Female roles
Fulfillment
Good versus bad
Greed as downfall
Growing up – pain or pleasure
Hazards of passing judgment
Heartbreak of betrayal
Heroism – real and perceived
Hierarchy in nature
Identity crisis
Illusion of power
Immortality
Individual versus society
Inner versus outer strength
Injustice
Isolation
Isolationism - hazards
Knowledge versus ignorance
Loneliness as destructive force
Losing hope
Loss of innocence
Lost honor
Lost love
Love and sacrifice
Man against nature
Manipulation
Materialism as downfall
Motherhood
Names – power and significance
Nationalism – complications
Nature as beauty
Necessity of work
Oppression of women
Optimism – power or folly
Overcoming – fear, weakness, vice
Patriotism – positive side or complications
Power and corruption
Power of silence
Power of tradition
Power of wealth
Power of words
Pride and downfall
Progress – real or illusion
Quest for discovery
Quest for power
Rebirth
Reunion
Role of men
Role of Religion – virtue or hypocrisy
Role of women
Self – inner and outer
Self-awareness
Self-preservation
Self-reliance
Social mobility
Technology in society – good or bad
Temporary nature of physical beauty
Temptation and destruction
Totalitarianism
Vanity as downfall
Vulnerability of the meek
Vulnerability of the strong
War – glory, necessity, pain, tragedy
Will to survive
Wisdom of experience
Working class struggles
Youth and beauty
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