Mini-Lesson
The theme of a story is its moral/lesson. For example the theme of the Three Little Pigs is to work hard. The themes of fictional writing typically focuses on a life lesson. For example, the life lesson in Because of Winn Dixie is friendship. A writer must find a way to connect with his/her reader and the theme is one major way to do so. As in life, one's story is filled with lessons and morals. A writer will write on lessons of life in order to connect with a reader.
Theme Examples
Friendship
Happiness
Work Hard
Betrayal
Street Smarts
Sacrifice