Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

At the heart of every story is a conflict far-reaching enough to seize readers’ attention, and in essence, these conflicts are primarily a clash of good and evil.

The discord between good and evil is recurrent in literature. It’s one of the most accessible themes capturing the conflict that commands the story’s flow and regulates the characters’ growth.

Beyond the characters and settings, this theme is an aspect required in every story, or else it won’t leave any impact on its reader’s life. After all, within every story is a lesson conveyed through symbolism and its character’s choices and actions. Stories won’t amount to anything without a meaningful conflict, leaving no impression on its readers’ minds.

The Pervasiveness Of Good And Evil In Literature

The Calo Chronicles perfectly encapsulates the fervent grapple between good and evil.

In this story, readers look at the world through the lens of a troubled protagonist, Samuel, who faces multiple challenges. In this gripping mystery by Eugenia Fowles, the thin line separating good and evil is spotlighted. Samuel is thrust into a prickly situation governed by his moral instincts but challenged by what he’s capable of achieving. He’s torn between becoming everyone’s savior, the means through which they’re freed, or a pawn that causes everyone harm – capturing the theme within a single character. Secrets, jealousy, and obsession rule over Samuel’s life as he fights to overcome hurdles blocking his freedom and ability to liberate those around him.

As the protagonist fights for other’s freedom against captivity, the struggle between good and evil becomes evident. Readers are exposed to the arduous task of enduring within the bounds of goodness, which resonates with reality.

Although everyday conflict isn’t as mystical as in books, readers can still relate to the pursuit and find common ground with the protagonist seeking justice. They naturally empathize with characters who chase after equity and feel hopeful for the reality they’re facing. There’s a bridge connecting protagonists grappling between good vs evil and readers reflecting the narrative unto the days they’re treading on. This resemblance creates a more impactful experience than the latter.

Its Contribution To The Beauty And Variety In Literature

The more this theme resonates, the more authors will be enticed to maximize it for their stories. Hence, there’s no question why it remains at the heart of literature, the substance adding to how meaningful stories are for the public.

How authors portray this concept shapes how their stories play out. It’s what shapes their characters and decisions that push the account to a conclusion, the factor separating one story from another. After all, good vs evil is ever-prevalent in society, so much more in literature. But it’s up to authors to creatively own the theme and write it according to their tone and preference.

When writers convey messages centered on the good vs evil conflict, they can use symbolism to capture their contrast. Light is associated with safety, the symbol of good, and is often defined as love and happiness. On the contrary, evil is represented as anything threatening.

These symbolic representations typically elevate novels. This theme remains relevant in literature because of this beauty and the variety of ways good and evil can be expressed.

The authors’ liberty to incorporate unique twists to these symbolisms adds diversity to literature. Although conflict is a typical ingredient in stories, how authors personalize these makes stories unique and literature varied and colorful. Good vs evil doesn’t always have to be between humans or a portrayal of rivalry. Instead, like Eugenia did, it can be between circumstances that characters must overcome and wrestle with. While seemingly limited in nature, the theme provides countless opportunities for authors to experiment with and enhance their stories.

The Theme’s Weight In The Future Of Literature

The success and growth of literature depend on how well authors convey their messages and how engaged readers continue to be. The latter won’t be interested in consuming materials if they become monotonous and repeated. This is why the variety in stories and delivery plays a massive role in maintaining people’s interest in reading.

The theme of good and evil is a playground for authors to play around with their characters, settings, and the occurrences in their narratives. Authors have a massive space to experiment with their stories depending on the track they choose to tread.

This opposition also provides an exciting ploy that seizes readers’ attention, leaving them on the edge of their seats. When there’s an evident fight between two forces, a relatively equal domination, readers would want to find out who’ll win. This becomes especially effective when the latter has sided with one force and genuinely roots for its triumph. This theme reflects this component, an exciting dance of two forces struggling to dominate the other, leaving readers wanting more.

With the continuous implementation of this theme, literature is expected to grow and cultivate a more profound sense of meaning behind their stories. There won’t be two novels delivering around the same plot and advocacy. Instead, there will be an evident diversification of materials.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This
Skip to content