What are examples of theme statements?

Examples of theme statements include "The forces of good triumph over the forces of evil" or "We must acknowledge internal darkness before defeating evil forces." These are both theme statements because they show the meaning of the work being analyzed as well as the writer's unique interpretation of that work.

Theme statements may seem simplified because the writer is condensing the point of an entire poem, story or other work into a single complete sentence. A theme statement should focus on what the writer thinks the story was about in terms of meaning; it must be an interpretation of the values of the work rather than just a retelling of the plot.