You say that but narrative is the only way to drive the theme. The theme is nothing without the narrative, it doesn't exist. And part of judging a story is matching how well the narrative displays the theme.
Namely the theme is always present, always seen, or the narrative is just empty calories.
O.K. But you don't drive the theme. The theme is a story writers tool and not a part of the story. The story and narrative are what the audience is meant to see, not the themes. The theme is something you fall back on when you get confused or lost as a writer, just as the frame of a building is not to be seen once the building is completed. As with scaffolding, you should be able to remove the theme from your story, leaving no traces, and still have an intact story.
That's a screen cap from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. A show that didn't force it's themes into the spot light.
What is the theme of Buffy?
Indulging Sensitive Joss Whedon's foot fetish involving young women he was cheating on his wife with.
Edit: Oh, and quips. Lots of quips and quippy dialogue.
You literally have no idea what a theme is do you?
Have some cheese bro.
Exactly. You do not know, because you do not need to know them. As this is an author's tool, and not a narrative device.
I thought it was a little bit of a chatbox response
Did you even read the title?
You say that but narrative is the only way to drive the theme. The theme is nothing without the narrative, it doesn't exist. And part of judging a story is matching how well the narrative displays the theme.
Namely the theme is always present, always seen, or the narrative is just empty calories.
O.K. But you don't drive the theme. The theme is a story writers tool and not a part of the story. The story and narrative are what the audience is meant to see, not the themes. The theme is something you fall back on when you get confused or lost as a writer, just as the frame of a building is not to be seen once the building is completed. As with scaffolding, you should be able to remove the theme from your story, leaving no traces, and still have an intact story.