What is your story about? At its core, what is the message that it speaks… what is the issue or problem that it addresses? This topic will be the Theme of your story—the thing that ties everything else together.
Now, if you’ve already read my Positive Change Arc series, you’ll remember that I’ve already addressed the Theme. And if you haven’t read it yet, you can check out that post here. However, I want to take a quick look at the Theme again today from the angle of a Flat Arc.
So what is the difference between a Positive Change Arc Theme and a Flat Arc Theme? When you get down to the details, they have pretty much the same definition. However, we do see some general patterns in the Themes of each kind of arc.
- The role
Your Theme is going to become apparent to the reader pretty early on in the story, but that’s not all you’ll need to introduce. You’ll also have to show what the MC believes about this issue, as well as the other characters in the story.
And this is where the Positive Change Arcs and Flat Arcs differ. In a Positive Change Arc, the readers embark with the MC on their journey from the Lie (a misbelief about the Theme) to the Truth (the real answer to the Theme). But in a Flat Arc, the MC already believes the Truth about the Theme. So, essentially, the Flat Arc is about proving this Truth to the other characters, to the world, and to the readers.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” Mary is put to the test again and again, but she still holds to the Truth, thus proving her loyalty and the Truth’s validity by the end of the story.
In “Pendragon,” Artos goes through the same thing… many of the characters turn against him, and a lot of things go wrong. However, he convinces the audience to believe the Truth by his devotion to it.
- The topic
Another different between the Positive Change Arc and Flat Arc Themes are their subjects. Generally, a Positive Change Arc will have Themes like redemption, forgiveness and worth. On the other hand, a Flat Arc will often address Themes such as loyalty, friendship, and sacrifice.
However, this is not a strict rule. It’s totally possible to write a Positive Change Arc about sacrifice, and a Flat Arc about a character who constantly forgives others. It really just depends on the story you want to write.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” the Theme is “hard times”, which is evident in the many trials that Mary faces.
In “Pendragon,” the Theme is “life’s calling”, since Artos struggles to embrace and fulfill his own duty to God.
- The angle
Even if a Positive Change Arc and Flat Arc have the same Theme, they probably won’t address that Theme in exactly the same way.
For example, if a Positive Change Arc has the Theme of forgiveness, the MC will most likely struggle with something along the lines of learning to forgive or accepting forgiveness. But a Flat Arc with the Theme of forgiveness might continually show that it’s worth it forgive others, or that we ought to forgive as Christ forgave us.
A lot of Flat Arcs address the idea of worth, such as, “Is it worth it to stand for my faith?” or, “Is love worth it?” During low moments, the MC will struggle with doubts about the Truth, and they will consider what it’s costing them to believe that Truth.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” Mary’s story addresses issues such as, “Does God really care about His children?”, “Why does God allow people to suffer?”, and “Can bad circumstances really work out for good?”
In “Pendragon,” Artos struggles with questions like, “Does God care about us?”, “Is God able to help me?”, and “Will God help me?”
Here are some other examples of Themes:
- Bravery (“The BFG”)
- Living life to the fullest (“Wall-E”)
- The true approach to love (“Sense & Sensibility”)
- Doing what’s right (“High Noon”)
- Kindness and politeness (“Paddington”)
While all of these tips are helpful, you also have to consider your own intentions for your story when trying to come up with a Theme. Often, this will come down to the things you’re passionate about.
So don’t forget to take a look around you and ask yourself what you want the world to know. What message do you want to tell others? What need do you see for the Truth to be made known? Asking yourself these questions can help you discover just what kind of story it is that you want to tell.
Comment below the Theme of your favorite book or movie!