What is the theme for the story Haven't I Made A Difference by James Herriot?

Answer 1

Ah, one of my favorite authors.

The whole purpose of this story is to question how we make a difference in someone else's life. Okay, so we work and struggle, and in his case, goes to farms and saves the lives of animals, but still, we question, if we have truly done anything of value. We tend to look at other people and say "Oh she made a difference" or "He definitely made a difference" but the question is not about someone else, it's about our self. Have we made a difference. Does a country vet wandering about caring for animals, does that make a difference?

Then of course we have to ask, what have we done in our life that truly made a difference? How have we helped one single person or one situation, to be better.

It's a great theme and question, one we all need to ask.

As Socrates once suggested: "The un-examined life is not worth living"