Final answer:
In literature, the plot is essential for theme development, with character challenges and actions underscoring central ideas, like perseverance and self-reliance. The story "Chickamauga" uses shifts in war-related diction to indicate thematic changes, and mythemes reveal universal underlying messages across cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
In literature, the plot significantly contributes to the development of the theme. The theme is the underlying message or the central idea that the author conveys to the reader. In the context of the stories mentioned, the plot's sequence of events and the main character's challenges and developments directly influence the unfolding themes. For instance, a character's determination to succeed in the face of adversity, as shown in their relentless pursuit despite doubts and obstacles, highlights the theme of perseverance and self-reliance.
Themes often shine through via repeated elements or shifts in diction throughout a story, indicating changes in perspective or the outcomes of a character's actions. In the story of "Chickamauga," the evolution of the language associated with war and glory from the beginning to the end of the narrative signals a shift in theme—from the romanticization of war to possibly its futility or tragedy.
The concept of mythemes, as proposed by Lévi-Strauss, helps to strip a narrative to its foundational elements, stripping away specifics to reveal cross-cultural, universal concerns. This reinforces the understanding that the carefully designed plot structure is pivotal to the surfacing of themes and messages intended by the author.