Theme, Symbols, and Motifs

Theme

The main idea or message of a literary work.

A universal truth or something nearly everyone can feel (i.e. suffering, loss, love)

Themes are analyzed by many literary terms including symbols and motifs.

Some other literary devices include metaphors, imagery, mood and tone.

Thematic Thesis

Question the main concept/purpose of story

Question what some of the major ideas (i.e.

motifs) are and make connections

When writing about a theme, use the keywords

through or throughout in the thesis.

Example of a theme

Through Zaroff’s comments about hunting, the author impliesthat hunting animals is not sportsmanlike. With only speedand instinct, they are not fairly matched against man’s intellectand reason.

Common themes in literature

The individual’s relationship with and obligation to society… character vs. society

Individual’s journey to understanding him/herself… character vs. self

Individual’s relationship with and obligation to nature… character vs. nature

Exercise: Try to write a thematic thesis for “Battle Royal” or “Hills Like White Elephants”

Other Common Themes

How justice and injustice are decided

What it means to be a hero or antihero

What it means to be a survivor

An individual’s experience with alienation

Symbols

The practice of representing things by means of attributing meaning objects, events, or relationships.

Symbols can be a person, place, thing, or idea that stands for something else. They are used deliberately to reinforce meaning.

For example, a letter may be simply a letter, but it can also be seen as a symbol of freedom, education, equality or inequality.

SymbolsA symbol may have more than one meaning, or its meaning may change in a story, essay or novel. Below are different kinds of symbols:

Personal: a meaning uniquely associated with a person (i.e. watching TV backwards helps Lakers win a game)

Contextual: a private meaning created by an author or work of art (i.e. symbol for Buddhist temple or Nazi Germany)

Cultural: a meaning uniquely influenced by culture (i.e. black cats are bad luck)

Universal: a meaning that is given to a thing by most people and cultures (i.e. lions represent power and courage)

Exercise: Identify personal, contextual, cultural and

universal symbols. What do they represent?

MotifsA recurring image, word, phrase, or action that tends to create unity within a story

Motifs, along with other literary devices, help form a theme in a given work

A motif differs from a theme in that it can be expressed as a single word or fragmentary phrase.

Motif Examples

Clothing Seasons Colors

Death Supernatural Adversaries

Education Wishes Abortion

Silence Powerful Lies Deep Sleeps

Witches Trickery Illness

Consequences of Greed Flowers/plants

Exercise: Name at least one motif found in one story so far.