Final answer:
To identify the major theme of a text, one must consider the underlying ideas or concepts that recur throughout the story, such as human condition, society, or life. This involves looking at the conflict, imagery, and relationships between characters. The theme reflects abstract concepts related to human experiences and provides a broad statement about humanity or life.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which of the options best describes the major theme of a text, one must examine the recurring ideas or concepts presented throughout the story. A theme can be about human condition, society, life, or other abstract concepts. Themes are reflected in the conflict faced by the characters, the symbols, imagery used, and the feelings evoked by the text.
In analyzing the main conflict of a story, it is important to determine whether it is internal, occurring within the character's mind, or external, caused by their environment or interactions with other characters. A story about love and betrayal might focus on personal relationships, an internal struggle with emotions, and possibly societal expectations leading to a betrayal. A power and corruption theme often involves characters in positions of authority and how their drive for power affects their morality. On the other hand, nature and redemption usually include themes of characters interacting with and being influenced by the natural world, often leading to a form of personal growth or redemption. Lastly, isolation and identity would focus on characters grappling with their sense of self, often in the context of being separated from others or society. Each theme encapsulates different aspects and responses to the human condition.
An examination of Renaissance poetry, for instance, reveals themes beyond unrequited love; poets used this scenario to delve into issues like religion, the self, relationships, and the nature of love itself. On the other hand, Romantic literature might emphasize the beauty of nature, unfulfilled passionate love, chivalry, and the idealization of the simple life and common people, often turning away from aristocratic norms. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's work, for instance, themes such as money, unattainable love, and individual identity are prevalent.