Theme: the hero’s moral choice. Thematic questions are always the very next stop in the outline after figuring out the basics of the plot. Before you go one step further with your characters’ external adventure, you must first understand their internal journeys. Only then, can you move forward in crafting an external plot that catalyses the inner journey and provides an external metaphor for the very heart of the story. The statement it makes affects how the protagonist resolves the story question as it determines the kind of resistance the protagonist will face along the way. The statement forms the skeleton on which the story is sculptured.
The point it makes must be specific, it will serve as a gauge to measure all character responses to situations. Theme is your view of how to act proper in the world. It’s not a concept such as “Racism”. It’s a specific statement made by the author. For example, a mother should sacrifice her life for her child.
Subtext creates texture that links scenes to the themes and larger plot. Symbols & Imagery.