PART A: Which statement identifies the theme of the short story (The Third Wish)?

A

Love can be powerful but is often brief.

B

While wishes may appear appealing, they often come with consequences.

C

Nature is an imposing force that is not meant to be altered.

D

Love cannot be wished or willed, but must occur naturally.

C. Nature is an imposing force that is not meant to be altered. 'The Third Wish' by Joan Aiken is a story that each one of us might've heard of, at least once in our life. It is the famous story of how three wishes that were granted to a person effect his life after they are wished for one after the other.

Explanation:

In this fairy tale, as it seems unreal and impractical for a person to be granted three wishes in real life, the man is given three leaves, each one wish that he can make and fulfill desires that he craves for.

The first wish being for a beautiful wife and the man marries him, he saves two other leaves for later in his briefcase. Later as the story progresses, he realizes a truth of his wife being a swan and uses the second leaf to amke his wife a swan, again.

Despite his deep love and care for his wife, the man (Peters) gives in to the sacrifice of wife as he knows that would make her happy and contented. Here, we can clearly say that the theme of this story can be, Nature is an imposing force that is not meant to be altered - because the King who granted wishes to Peters was only trying to incur changes in how life was supposed to be by making alterations that cannot happen in everyone's life.

It can also be - Love cannot be wished or willed, but must occur naturally. - as this is a realization of Peters in the story when he lets his wife become a swan again.