User blog:Jdeschene/Common Themes

Do you ever use your stories as a form of self-analysis? For instance, do you ever look through the tales you've written, note the common themes and ask yourself "Why do I keep coming back to these ideas?" I'm inclined to think that such a thing could be a useful exercise.

For instance, common themes in my stories tend to be religion, food, and childhood. Writing that sentence, I can totally understand why these subjects would keep floating up from the depths of my subconscious. Without getting too personal, I would say I have rather unconventional relationships with each one.

What common themes show up in your writing? Why do you think this happens? What do you think they mean?