Theme in literature a theme is a lesson that a literary text conveys about humanity. think about a story you have read, and identify a theme from this text. write an essay that describes this theme. include details from the story that support the theme, and explain how these details develop the theme. as you write, remember your essay will be scored based on how well you: develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates your thesis to the audience. support your thesis with meaningful examples and references from the text, carefully citing any direct quotes. organize your essay in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction, body, and conclusion. use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience. edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard american english.