Why is theme important in understanding The Misfits by James Howe?

The theme of The Misfits is rooted in
the idea of tolerance and acceptance of others.  It seeks to embrace the idea of what
should be as opposed to what is.  I think that this is important to the novel because
Howe sought to write a work that spoke out in favor of social acceptance and how the
ability to display solidarity can transcend most other fundamental challenges that are
faced by adolescents.  The theme is important because its message is deliberate on the
part of the author:

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In The Misfits and Totally Joe, an
underlying theme that kept surfacing had to do with my own feelings of being different
as a boy and then a man. My own shame about being gay, my own discomfort, my own wish
that I could be open and accepting and be accepted. These feelings kept bubbling up in
my work, which often celebrated difference and feeling good about who you
are.

The theme is
important to the work because it seeks to explore a personal dimension with social
implication.  In this light, the novel's theme is important to understand the literary
meaning and social relevancy of the
text.