Survival is also a big theme. The kidnapped individuals have to find ways to survive in often very difficult and dangerous situations. For example, in some cases, they have to endure abuse and still keep their will to live. Another aspect is the search for justice. Once the victim is found or the kidnapper is caught, there is the long process of ensuring that the perpetrator is punished for their crime. This can involve complex legal battles and the need to prove the kidnapper's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. And often, these stories also highlight the strength of the human spirit in the face of such atrocities.
Betrayal is sometimes a theme. It could be that the kidnapper was someone known to the victim, like a neighbor or acquaintance. This adds an extra layer of horror to the story as it shatters the sense of safety and trust that the victim had in their community or relationships.
One common theme is the sense of loss and desperation of the victims' families. They often go through a great deal of emotional turmoil while searching for their loved ones.
There could be a theme of human resilience. Despite the harrowing experience of being kidnapped, the victim may show incredible strength and the will to overcome. Additionally, the story might touch on themes of society's responsibility. If there were systemic failures that allowed the kidnapping to happen, it could explore how society should address such issues to prevent future kidnappings.
One common theme is ransom. Often, kidnappers take someone in order to get a large amount of money from the victim's family or friends.
One common theme is isolation. Victims often feel alone and excluded. For example, in many real - life bullying cases, the bullied child is left out of social groups at school.
One common theme is moral ambiguity. In these stories, it's often not clear - cut whether the actions of the characters are entirely wrong or if there are extenuating circumstances. For example, in a story about a person who steals to feed their family during a time of extreme poverty, there's a moral gray area.
One common theme is sacrifice. In true love stories, often one or both of the lovers have to sacrifice something for the relationship, like personal dreams or family ties. For example, in some real - life - inspired love stories, a person might give up a job opportunity in a different city to stay close to their loved one.
One common theme is the fight for justice. People who are defying unjust systems are often seeking fairness and equality. For example, in civil rights movements, people defied segregation laws to gain equal rights.
One common theme is struggle. When things happen unplanned, like in a true story, the characters often have to struggle against various odds. For example, in a story about an unplanned pregnancy, the woman might struggle with her future, family reactions, and her own beliefs.
The theme of courage against the system can be seen in many of these stories. In the case of the African - American women in 'Hidden Figures', they were up against a racist and sexist system at NASA but still managed to succeed. Also, the theme of human spirit is common. The people in these true stories, like Aron Ralston in '127 Hours', show the strength of the human spirit in extreme situations. And then there's the theme of making a difference. All these courageous people, from Alan Turing to Chesley Sullenberger, made a real difference in the world.
A sense of hope is often present too. Despite the difficult circumstances of being in a room, whether it's due to captivity or accident, the characters usually hold on to hope. In stories based on true events, this hope can be a driving force. It might be the hope of rescue, like in many survival - in - a - room - type stories, or the hope of a better future once they are out of that confined space.
Overcoming obstacles. Take the story of Oprah Winfrey. She had to overcome poverty, discrimination and many other hurdles in her rise to become a media mogul. These true - story hustles often involve characters finding ways around the problems in their path.