“What does a story mean?”

explore the question of whatness and howness about a work of fiction. In other words, you will explore the theme or message of a story—“what does a story mean?”—as well as the technique or literary elements—“how does the story convey that message?”
“But if the meanings were always as clear as they are in parables, who would really need to write a paper analyzing them? Interpretations of fiction would not be interesting if the meanings of the stories were clear to everyone who reads them. Thankfully (or perhaps regrettably, depending on your perspective) the stories we’re asked to interpret in our classes are a good bit more complicated than most parables. They use characters, settings, and actions to illustrate issues that have no easy resolution. They show different sides of a problem, and they can raise new questions. In short, the stories we read in class have meanings that are arguable and complicated, and it’s our job to sort them out.” (UNC-Chapel Hill’s Writing Center)