The lesson or moral of a story is known as a:

• A. Conflict
• B. Theme
• C. Plot
• D. Setting

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is understanding what a theme is. The theme is the lesson or message about life or human nature that the author wants you to take away from the story. It can be stated directly or implied through what happens to the characters and how they change.

This is different from the other elements: conflict is the problem the characters face, which drives the events; plot is the sequence of those events; setting is where and when the story occurs. Those elements help tell the story, but they aren’t the message the story is conveying. For example, a story might show a character choosing honesty over convenience, and the theme would be that honesty matters, even if there are consequences.