which statment best defines a theme in a short story?

A. A theme is the topic of a story, which author develops through a particular tone and mood.
B. A theme is the use of an object to respensent a larger idea.
C. A theme is the central messege, moral, or lesson coveyed using chracters, setting, and plot.
D. A theme helps reveal the order on which events occur in a story.
E. A theme helps build tension between the chracters in a story.