In the world of literature, there are many themes that exist in a variety of genres. In the Gettysburg Address, a speech given by the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln attempts to reassure his listeners that the country's problems will be solved in the midst of war. The American Civil War caused many national problems, causing panic among the general public. George J. Mitchell's opinion essay, Peace Is Not Impossible, attempts to convince readers that conflict and tension in Northern Ireland must end as soon as possible. Catholics and Protestants are still prey to tensions and unrest on the theme of religion today. The visual A Man Knows a Man, drawn by an unknown artist, attempts to convey the union of the North and the South after the American Civil War. During the war, the North and South became divided over debates over states' rights and slavery. Finally, the short story The Sniper by Liam O'Flaherty, illustrates the events that take place between two brothers, on opposing sides, during the Irish Civil War. The main character, the republican sniper, favors independent rule by the Irish, while the brother, who is a free state, favors the division of Ireland by the British. Abraham Lincoln's speech, the Gettysburg Address, Mitchell's opinion essay Peace Is Not Impossible, and the visual A Man Knows a Man share a common theme, commonly referred to as the universal theme. The themes expressed in these three texts are directly stated, thus making the author's message clearer to readers. The different structures of the texts greatly affect the presentation of the theme, due to their different settings and objectives. Poems, for example, have different types of literary devices, such as imagery and figurative language, that help readers explore the theme...... middle of article ...... these genres support the theme and structure of the text in several ways. It is crucial that young adults and people interested in the topic of war understand literature such as this essay, so that they can realize the negative effects of the Civil War, expressed in writing and art . Themes of various genres are crucial for the stability of society and humanity, as they establish people's common thinking. With the universal theme expressed in the Gettysburg Address, Peace Is Not Impossible and A Man Knows a Man, readers can realize that the effects of civil war are negative and the practice of war should be abolished , which is a problem. statement that can be believed. It is vital that people are able to read and explore different genres in order to gain insight from the author into life and basic human concerns that need to be addressed more often..