All of the following define the theme of a story except

a. the central idea of a work b. the unerlying message in literature c. the methods of characterization employed by the writer d. the lesson, or moral, of the story, which can be inferred by the readers***

Often, the characterizations of central figure can reveal the theme, however, the methods employed of revealing the characters are not themselves likely to reveal the theme.

I disagree.

c. the methods of characterization employed by the writer

To determine which of the options does not define the theme of a story, let's examine each option:

a. The central idea of a work: This is a key component of the theme. The theme represents the main concept or topic that the story explores.

b. The underlying message in literature: This is synonymous with the theme. The theme represents the deeper meaning or message that the author intends to convey through the story.

c. The methods of characterization employed by the writer: While characterization plays a crucial role in storytelling, it is not synonymous with the theme. Characterization refers to the techniques and strategies used by the author to create and develop characters in the story.

d. The lesson, or moral, of the story, which can be inferred by the readers: This is also an aspect of the theme. The theme often incorporates a lesson or moral that readers can derive from the story.

Therefore, the correct answer is c. the methods of characterization employed by the writer, as it does not directly define the theme of a story.