What is the purpose of providing evidence during a discussion

Evidence supports your claim which proves your statement to be more than a mere opinion but instead a fact

Evidence: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/evidence/

Provide true facts based on reliable sources of information.

Explanation: Providing evidence as part of your arguments in a discussion helps your statements and claims to be more than opinions, but instead, such arguments are turned into facts, that can not be debated and can help you support the way you present your ideas in a discussion.

taking into account that a theme is the central topic a text treats and can be developed through a story, play, poem etc. the following are themes that can be further developed:  

my best friend jeffrey has many unusual interests. (the story could be about each of the unususal interests)

once a man gives his soul over to evil, he can never go back. (this could be a saying or a proverb)

the three sheepdogs lay around the yard all day. (it could be developed detailing how each of these sheepdogs lay around)

a priest's collar has an unusual effect upon people. (it could be developed detailing the different effect upon people)

innocence is a powerful force in a world full of corruption. (it could be developed detailing how is a world full of corruption)

king lear is a play shakespeare wrote later. (it is just a sentence and doesnt give any idea or topic to be discussed in details.

evil often wears the disguise of innocence. (this could be a saying or a proverb)