The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Winning, Losing, and a Purpose in Life appears in each chapter of Friday Night Lights.

Various themes arise and are dealt with, such as racism, the effects of an economic downturn, and an educational system with its priorities skewed. Nevertheless, the team and the town's burden it must bear remains the focus of the book.

Every story needs a theme, some kind of message that is universal. There are a number of these in Friday Night Lights, but I'll stick to the ideas of family, overcoming adversity and redemption. There are examples of each of these themes throughout the series, in every season, usually in every character.