Motif | Literary Term | English Literature | Major English | Plus Two Level
Motif
is a recurring idea that is woven like a design into a fabric of a literary
work. A motif is a recurring narrative element with symbolic
significance. It differs from a theme in that it is a concrete example of a
theme. If you spot a symbol, concept, or plot structure that appears
repeatedly in the text, you’re probably dealing with a motif. They must be
related to the central idea of the work, and they always end up reinforcing the
author’s overall message. A motif reinforces the theme through the
repetition of a certain narrative element. As you may have already guessed,
themes and motifs in literature are devoted partners in crime. Symbol in
a book is just like a symbol on a street sign: something recognizable that
represents something abstract. In the US, for instance, eagles are a symbol of
freedom.
For
example: The Great Gatsby, a classic vessel of symbolism, to illustrate
this. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the Valley of Ashes — a barren wasteland between
East and West Egg — as a symbol to represent the waste and moral
decay of the elite. This is a part of the book’s bigger motif of
wealth and finance, which recurs through a number of ideas — among them,
Gatsby’s parties, the extravagance of the both West and East Eggs, and Daisy’s
voice that is described as “full of money.” That, in turn, reinforces one
of the book’s major themes about the corruption of the American
Dream.
.jpg)
