Observation about life
A story's theme is the author's main idea or message. This is usually an observation about life. Many times in young adult fiction these themes revolve around topics such as coming of age, death, belonging, and relationships. Romeo and Juliet has many great themes about how impulsivity can lead to one's death or how a family feud can take away the things that families value most. Moral statements are usually reserved for fables. General subject matter is not a theme but instead a topic. A point of view on a difficult topic is a person's perspective.
