Question

select the correct answer.
which statement best defines theme?
a. the details of a plot
b. the underlying message in a literary work
c. the underlying conflict in a story
d. the subject of a literary work

Explanation:

A theme is the central, underlying message or universal truth that an author conveys through a literary work. Option A refers to plot details, which are the sequence of events, not the theme. Option C describes conflict, a key plot element, not the theme. Option D refers to the subject, which is the general topic, while theme is the deeper message about that subject.

Answer:

B. the underlying message in a literary work