<em>Main ideas are typically found in a literary passage. Central ideas are found in an informational text. The theme is the lesson or message that the writer wants to get across in his or her story. ... People apply these lessons or ideas to their own lives.</em>
<em>The term main idea is generally associated with informational, nonfiction texts like newspaper articles. The main idea tells the reader what the paragraph, article, or other section of a text is going to be about.</em>
<em>A theme is a central or underlying idea in literature, which may be stated directly or indirectly. All novels, stories, poems, and other literary works have at least one theme running through them. The writer may express insight about humanity or a worldview through a theme.</em>
