a scene from the past. . Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if the statement is wrong. 9. The theme is what the story teaches its readers. 10. The theme is the central message of a literary work. 11. Theme tells us what we should and we should not do to ensure happiness and success in our own lives. 12. The theme is the lesson that the author wants us to learn from the story. 13. A theme contains character names.