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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.

The Rarity of Goodness

The rarity of goodness is part of what makes goodness so valuable. The narrator explains that goodness is the "most precious and loveliest" trait a person can have, which is why Salvatore, despite his mediocrity in other aspects of his life, is a remarkable person, worthy of a story written about him. No one in the story is as consistently good as Salvatore, who takes on duty and difficulties without complaint. His family lacks the courage to tell him the truth. The girl lacks the loyalty to stay with Salvatore after he's sidelined by illness. Even Assunta still harbors ill-will for the girl who broke Salvatore's heart long after Salvatore has already forgiven her.  The narrator suggests that for such a rare trait to have been bestowed on such an average person, this level of goodness must be a result of divine intervention. Another detail that helps to emphasize the rarity of Salvatore's goodness is the narrator's comment that Salvatore’s goodness is “unconscious and humble," alluding to others’ tendency to brag about their acts of kindness. Salvatore is good and kind because that’s who he is, not because he wants notoriety or attention.

The Beauty of Ordinary Lives

Maugham intentionally celebrates the beauty of the common man's life in "Salvatore." The narrator begins the story wondering if he can do "it," not revealing until the end of the story that "it" refers to keeping readers' attention while describing an average man. Many people are accustomed to celebrating only the extraordinary, so they become ignorant of the everyday miracles surrounding them. This ignorance is why Salvatore doesn't realize the true beauty of Capri until he leaves the island to serve in the military. While many young people yearn to leave home and explore cities, Salvatore prefers his "little white cottage" surrounded by nature. After the girl shatters Salvatore's dreams of marriage, the narrator says Salvatore began to do work and "settled down to the common round," meaning the routine of everyday life. His life’s ordinariness is emphasized by the fact that Salvatore's father, and likely many men in Capri, live a similar life. Salvatore's "tiny whitewashed house" is reminiscent of his parents' "little white cottage." Maugham uses Salvatore's goodness to show that often the hero of a story is the humble person quietly living in the background.

The Bliss of Childhood

Maugham shows in "Salvatore" that all children are born with natural goodness, but most people lose this goodness as they grow older. Part of what makes Salvatore extraordinary is his ability to retain the blissful feeling of childhood as he ages and experiences disappointment. He thoroughly enjoys what's described as a rather meager childhood in which he goes around barefoot and barely dressed, eats frugal meals, and must parent his two younger brothers most days. Maugham compares Salvatore to an obedient dog when he stoically bears his illness, and to a beaten dog after the girl breaks off their engagement. As Salvatore's hardships build in difficulty, readers may expect him to enter some kind of crisis. However, the climax is more of an anti-climax in that Salvatore never becomes jaded. Despite his burdens, Salvatore remains as good as he was as a boy. Throughout the story, Salvatore retains many aspects of his childish self as he ages. Leaving his home, he cries like a child. As a soldier, his letters feature childish writing. Even as a grown father, Salvatore's eyes remain "as candid as his child's." He recreates the simple life he loved so much down to his childhood role as the caretaker of two younger boys and his carefree days lounging in the sun by the sea. Salvatore's goodness is rooted in his ability to retain the bliss of childhood.

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