In stories, it is not only important what you wish the audience to look at but also in what light you want them to see it. The point of view from which the audience evaluates the meaning of the story is crucial to supporting the conclusion to a given argument. Issue helps select a filter through which the author can control the shading of the events that unfold. In a sense, Issue provides the audience with a yardstick and tells them, “measure what you see by this scale.”

Examples of Overall Story Issues:

• A Doll’s House—Senses vs. Interpretation
• Being There—Situation vs. Circumstances
• Barefoot in the Park—Hope vs. Dream
• Body Heat—Self-Interest vs. Morality
• Chinatown—Interdiction vs. Prediction
• Four Weddings and a Funeral—Commitment vs. Responsibility
• The Fugitive—Preconception vs. Openness
• The Glass Menagerie—Delay vs. Choice
• The Great Gatsby—Dream vs. Hope
• Hamlet—Truth vs. Falsehood
• In the Line of Fire—Confidence vs. Worry
• The Verdict—Openness vs. Preconception
• Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf—Situation vs. Circumstances

Overall Story Issue: The thematic interpretation of the scenario against which a story takes place