Question

When is the universal theme of a story often revealed?

a. at the resolution of the story, when the reader can see how the story ends
b. in the middle of the story, before the reader can predict the outcome
c. before the story begins, when the author is describing where the story takes place
d. at the beginning of the story, when the action begins

Answer 1

A, because the reader will be able to understand the universal theme which is usually the moral of the story.

Answer 2

The correct answer is the following: option a. The universal theme of a story is often revealed at the resolution of the story, when the reader can see how the story ends.

In literature the terms of "theme" and "universal theme" are commonly used. While the theme of a work of literature is defined as the main message revealed through a story, the universal theme is defined as a theme that applies to anyone and everywhere, that is relatable to a wide set of readers.

In both cases, to know the theme or the universal theme of a piece of literature work, it is needed to read through the whole story and analyze it to find out what the theme of it is, and if it can be a universal theme relatable to a big audience.