Question

Which literary element is the “message” within the story?

Plot

Setting

Theme

Characters

Answer 1

The "theme" is the message of any story.

The "theme" is the main topic, or idea that the author is trying to point out.

Answer 2

Plot refers to the action in the story.
Setting refers to the physical place, time, and circumstance that the story takes place.
Theme refers to the moral, lesson, or idea that the author is trying to convey to his/her audience.
Characters are the people in the story, who usually drive the plot (or action) of a story.

With these definitions in mind, you can safely assume that the theme is the message of the story.