"I always thought I liked light and fluffy, but after reading the second book in my series... I think the themes I'm going for are death, destruction, man's perversions, inhumanity, and retribution. And rising from the ashes. Of course, I could be wrong as half the short stuff comes out just plain goofy and it's all about entertainment."
Mike Stewart Writer "Loss Legacy Regret Grace Renewal"
Daniel Poeira Cartoonist "Ultimately, all stories are about death, because that's our story. So I guess my favorite themes are the ones involved on this life cycle: birth, coming of age, discovery of sex, learning, overcoming problems, and ultimately, dying. Many of my characters die in the end my movies, because, well, that's what people do in the end of their stories too."
Madeline Carol Matz Illustrator "The journey with it's messes and misdirections that inevitably ends with love and good prevailing. Just like a Shakespeare comedy, "All's Well that Ends Well""
Robert Runte Writer " Hard to choose one, but I am particularly interested in issues of national / cultural identity. |
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themes that arise out of the Canadian character also appeal to me. the Canadian hero who sort of bumbles his way through things and who ends up neither ahead nor behind, but sort of sideways from where he thought he wanted to get to is my favorite. (In contrast to the American hero who wins by dint of his strength and character and timely action). The hero as observer rather than actor. E.g., Canadian hero is the guy who repairs the Canadarm rather than the handsome captain hero. North by 2000 is a great example of those types of stories.
Alienation is the great theme of 20th century literature, but I like the Canadian version best: The alienated outsider who decides being outside looking in is actually better.
Multiculturalism. Diversity. Karma.Lots of other stuff. Indeed, I often seek out books precisely because they explore new themes, different areas than I've considered before."
Finn Clarke Writer "The nature of reality. Why it has to have rules. Why it has to have those rules rather than other ones. The line between culturally accepted reality and madness....."
Paul Harrison-Davis Cartoonist "Parenting. Being a good one, being a bad one and your responsibility on the next generation. That's why Finding Nemo get's me as much as The Road.Going to work on a comic next year on this theme."
Viviane Shwartz Children's book illustrator, cartoonist "Learning that much of the world is running on dreams. The reality of ghosts and monsters created thus, and finding the reason and courage to face them."
Colleen Lindsay Literary Agent at Fineprint Literary Agency "I never want to see or sense a theme of any kind in fiction. If I can see it, the writing isn't working. I want it to be invisible. If I smell an MFA's forced-theme implant anywhere near a novel, I stop reading it. I just want you to tell me a great story "
Joel Champetier Writer "Memory", "The Other" and "Love"
John Park Writer "I don't have conscious themes, but memory, hidden (often guilty) selves, and journeys of discovery seem to crop up fairly often."
Lorina Stephens Publisher Five Rivers "The underdog, I suppose, as in the oppressed, abused, betrayed. I
tend to gravitate to children in my stories, destruction of innocence.
People and the kindnesses and cruelties we perpetrate."
Geoffrey W Cole Writer "The lengths we'll go to connect with other people. How people heal after hurting each other. How we try to cheat death. All that good stuff."
John R Little Writer "Much of what I write is about loss. Loss of life, love, etc."
Catherine MaCleod Writer "Loneliness. Loss. How love does or doesn't survive. Being haunted. Being hunted."
Eileen Kernaghan Writer "I've been told that all my books are about journeys. That was never a conscious decision, but it seems to be true."
Joe Mahoney Writer "Family, loss, anxiety. At the moment, anyway"
Michele Laframboise Cartoonist,writer "Coming of age in an alien civilisation, maybe."
Karl Johanson Writer "My favourite is the theme to "National Lampoon's Vacation!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1QA1Iq3b1M" (LOL!) Elizabeth Vonarberg Writer "the Other, Change & Metamorphosis, the nature of reality, power, lies, memory."
Steve Vernon Writer "Sooner or later the theme of lost fathers and coming to terms with your roots seems to surface in my writing."
Alison Lohans Writer "At this point in the book it seems to be blurring boundaries: game vs. real life, and resulting complications."
And thanks to writer William Gibson for helping me reach more people with this question. This has been incredibly informative to me, thanks for participating everyone. The post was getting a bit long so I apologize to anyone I've left out.
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Yesterday I put out the question on Facebook,Twitter the Science Fiction Canada list and right here "What is your favorite theme?"And I got plenty of compelling,interesting and challenging responses. I'm going to stand out of the way and let people answer for themselves (in no particular order...)
