An Object Concept or Symbol in Literature That Reappears Again and Again

Let's acknowledge it: "What is a motif and how practice y'all utilise it?" is a much less sexy question than, "What's your volume about?"

But it's just as necessary. If the theme of a book is its heartbeat, and so motifs are the vessels that proceed the claret coursing through the narrative. Amongst other things, motifs in literature add depth to your writing and steer readers toward its central messages (assisted by other stiff literary devices).

In this post, we'll look at what a motif is (and what it's not), examine motif examples in action, and explore how yous tin comprise motifs into your own writing.

What is a motif?

A motif is a recurring narrative chemical element with symbolic significance. If yous spot a symbol, concept, or plot construction that surfaces repeatedly in the text, you're probably dealing with a motif. They must exist related to the key idea of the work, and they always finish upwards reinforcing the author's overall message.

But how can y'all tell which ones are motifs? Call up that you must be able to connect a motif to the "big ideas" in a book. But because the narrator mentions a particular pair of shoes a few times, doesn't necessarily mean that it'southward a motif — unless the author makes a point of tying it to a bigger question of, allow's say, escape and freedom. (Don't worry — we'll provide more physical motif examples in a bit!)

Since they're repeated throughout a text, motifs are besides very traceable. Equally you're trying to figure out the motifs of a given work, it might exist useful to think of them every bit having a trail of purposeful clues. The author plants these breadcrumbs so that the reader tin ameliorate work out the ideas backside the piece of work — and its overarching indicate.

That brings up our next question: how do motifs chronicle to themes? Luckily, we've got the answer for you right here! Read on to learn more about the subtle distinctions between motif and theme, besides as motif and symbol.

Motif vs. theme: Motifs support a volume's theme

The theme of a book is generally considered to be the core meaning behind a story — in other words, its soul. Themes are well-nigh always universal, and they usually illuminate something near society, human nature, and the world.

In contrast, a motif reinforces the theme through the repetition of a certain narrative element. As you may accept already guessed, themes and motifs in literature are devoted partners in offense.

To requite you lot an easily digestible case, permit's take Shakespeare's Sonnet 24. The theme of this sonnet is arguably that "love is skin-deep." One of its chief motifs is sight, which is fabricated clear through the recurring imagery of optics. It's non a coincidence that the motif and the theme of a text are closely related: the i props upward and strengthens the other, as you can see in the sonnet.

Motif vs. symbol: Symbols stand for motifs

A symbol in a book is but like a symbol on a street sign: something recognizable that represents something abstract. In the The states, for example, eagles are a symbol of freedom. In The Hunger Games, the mockingjay is a symbol of revolution.

That said, when you see a symbol surface over and over again, chances are that it signifies a motif.

Let'south cut to 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 stand for the waste and moral disuse of the elite. This is a part of the book's bigger motif of wealth and finance, which recurs through a number of ideas — amidst them, Gatsby's parties, the extravagance of the both Westward and East Eggs, and Daisy'southward vocalisation that is described equally "full of coin." That, in plow, reinforces ane of the book's major themes near the corruption of the American Dream.

To sum it up, here'south a quick chart for you:

Now that y'all have a amend sense of what is a motif (and what isn't one), let'south see some more of them in action!

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10 motif examples in literature

We've defined a motif and talked about many interpretations of its definition. Then what are some motif examples in swell books that you might have read before? Allow's accept a look at 10 of them — and the themes they reinforce.

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Story: An orphaned girl becomes embroiled in a complicated relationship with her employer, a broodingly mysterious man named Mr. Rochester.
Motifs: Food (nourishment and generosity), portraits (unconscious and suppressed feelings), eyes (insight)

2. Harry Potter past J.K. Rowling

Story: A young boy goes to wizarding school, makes friends, and tries to defeat an evil wizard.
Motifs: Scar (destiny and the power of love), "muggle-borns" vs. "purebloods" (racism and tolerance)

iv. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Story: A fellowship must destroy an anointed band and the Nighttime Lord exploiting information technology to conquer Middle-earth.
Motifs: Light and dark (the battle of good versus evil), song and singing (friendship and unity)

five. The Slap-up Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Story: In the summertime of 1922, a rich human tries extravagantly to win the girl of his dreams.
Motifs: Wealth and finance (the corruption of the American Dream), time and clocks (our human relationship with the past and futurity)

6. Catcher in the Rye past J.D. Salinger

Story: In New York City, a teenage boy seeks to notice himself while coming to terms with his by.
Motifs: Ducks (the necessity of change), death (mortality)

7. The Sorcerer of Oz by Frank L. Baum

Story: After a girl and her dog are swept into the magical country of Oz, she must go along a journey to find her way habitation.
Motifs: The Yellowish Brick Road (the journey of life), Oz (misleading appearances and the abuse of power)

eight. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Story: Tormented by grief, a beau hunts for the truth to avenge his dead father.
Motifs: Ears (the unreliability of truth), nascence and death (ephemerality of existence)

9. A Tale of Ii Cities past Charles Dickens

Story: Two men find themselves falling in love with the same woman in the center of the French Revolution.
Motifs: Doubles (nature of duality), earthworks (uncovering the hidden)

10. Lord of the Flies past William Golding

Story: Afterwards a plane crashes, a band of boys must survive on a deserted island.
Motifs: Fire (connection to applied science and civilization), religious apologue (moral truth)

PRO-TIP:Short stories often accept strong motifs and themes. To see how this works for yourself, bank check out 21 of the all-time short story collections in the literary canon.

Remember: a book tin can accept many motifs

As you tin tell, most books have more than one motif. Authors spend a lot of time perfecting their central messages and want to make sure that you know exactly what they are, which is why they turn to multiple motifs.

Fortunately, this makes information technology easier for you to analyze a text. Ask yourself:

Are there any patterns that repeat in this book — whether they're ideas, symbols, or plot structures?
Practice these patterns accept anything to do with a central theme or message of the volume?
If then, how do they illuminate and chronicle to the theme?

Non too difficult, right? Of course, now that you know what a motif is, you might be wondering how to write motifs into your story — which brings us to the next section.

How to use motifs in your story

Yous might say, this is all easier said than washed! Merely while information technology'south non exactly a piece of cake, information technology'southward far from impossible to write motifs in literature. Here are four ways to assistance yous apply them in your novel or short story.

Option 1: Plan it

Planning your motifs is as simple as planning your themes — and and so taking it i pace further. Motifs generally revolve around "big motion-picture show" concepts, so you need to commencement examine your cardinal ideas and characters.

Inquire yourself: What do you want readers to associate with them? How can you correspond them through symbols? If one of your themes has to do with decease, for instance, think virtually all the means that you can sear it into your readers' minds (by, say, having ane of your characters run into a dead animate being and feel keen sorrow for information technology).

The next step is to contain it into your book. Even after you know what your motifs are going to exist, y'all need figure out how to brand them recur.

If you create a detailed outline before writing your commencement draft, you can probably spot the key events in your novel that are relevant to your theme. For example, one of the about famous motifs in all of literature is the mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird — it's so important that information technology'southward correct there in the title of the book.

Insufficiently speaking, the mockingbird itself doesn't appear too oft in the book. But because it was woven into the narrative at the right moments, it becomes a powerful representation of innocence and goodness. Also, your goal should be to necktie your motif into your story in a natural yet compelling manner, at the correct moments, not every possible moment. Avert heavy-handed symbolism at all costs — your readers are smarter than that!

Option ii: See if whatever develop naturally

Information technology's non e'er necessary to plan out your entire novel down to the last motif. Sometimes yous just need to write a draft and trust that your writerly brain will supply the right substance.

For instance, yous might be writing a story about a graphic symbol working through grief and notice yourself going dorsum repeatedly to the character'southward flute. Many motifs in literature are built-in organically this way: the author realizes that they need to represent a major theme, and their subconscious finds a mode to deliver it. In this case, information technology might be because playing the flute helps your grapheme forget their pain and focus on joy, or because it reminds them of the person they've lost.

It'due south always useful to connect the dots and effigy out why your subconscious wanted to bring up this idea or symbol in relation to this character or theme. Once you determine the purpose, the motif volition serve the bigger moving picture, and you tin see it through to the end of your typhoon in a satisfying way.

If you need help developing your characters to that betoken, hither are some character development exercises and a free character profile template for your personal use.

Option 3: Freewrite

If you're itching to smash downward your motifs before yous start writing, only aren't feeling inspired, consider freewriting. This is the practice of writing down all of your thoughts without stopping for a certain menstruum of time — ordinarily between 10-20 minutes.

To tease out your motif, try to start off by freewriting well-nigh your theme. When you're done, get back and run across what ideas or symbols surface repeatedly in the exercises. Yous might be surprised at what your heed produces when the cake of cocky-editing is removed!

4. Know that motifs are hither to help, not hinder

Like themes, motifs are there to help you write your book (and help readers understand them)! If you let them, motifs volition add a valuable layer of depth to your story. So don't be afraid of them — allow the motifs come to y'all naturally as you're writing or planning. You'll find that your themes volition thank you for it.

How do you lot approach motifs in your stories? Practice you have any more questions or thoughts on the subject? Leave them in the comments below!

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Source: https://blog.reedsy.com/what-is-a-motif/