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Definition of Motif
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of... read full definition
Key Examples in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Chapter 15
Explanation and Analysis—Imagination and Imagery:
Throughout the novel, both Francie and the narrator utilize metaphor, simile, and imagery reminiscent of fairytales. Shakespeare and the Bible make frequent appearances, though other story types also emerge within the novel's tapestry of figurative language. These metaphors and similes speak to Francie's affinity for literature. They are top of mind, especially in her youthful imagination, and thus they emerge naturally throughout the novel.
In the following example from Chapter 23, Francie alludes to Alice in Wonderland, comparing herself to Alice:
Francie was out walking one Saturday in October and she chanced on an unfamiliar neighborhood. Here were no tenements or raucous shabby stores. [...] The neighborhood stood old, quiet, and serene in the Saturday sunshine. There was a brooding quality about the neighborhood, a quiet, deep, timeless, shabby peace. Francie was as happy as though, like Alice, she had stepped through a magic mirror. She was in an enchanted land.
Related Themes:
Chapter 18
Explanation and Analysis—Eugenic Rhetoric:
The novel contains several instances of eugenic rhetoric, directed against Francie and her fellow poor tenement inhabitants. The most blatant instance of this motif occurs in Chapter 18, where the doctor vaccinating Francie rants about "dirty" people who should be sterilized:
Unlock with LitCharts A+After the doctor's outburst, Francie stood hanging her head. She was a dirty girl. That's what the doctor meant. He was talking more quietly now asking the nurse how that kind of people could survive; that it would be a better world if they were all sterilized and couldn't breed anymore. Did that mean he wanted her to die? Would he do something to make her die because her hands and arms were dirty from the mud pies?
Related Themes:
Chapter 19
Explanation and Analysis—Eugenic Rhetoric:
The novel contains several instances of eugenic rhetoric, directed against Francie and her fellow poor tenement inhabitants. The most blatant instance of this motif occurs in Chapter 18, where the doctor vaccinating Francie rants about "dirty" people who should be sterilized:
Unlock with LitCharts A+After the doctor's outburst, Francie stood hanging her head. She was a dirty girl. That's what the doctor meant. He was talking more quietly now asking the nurse how that kind of people could survive; that it would be a better world if they were all sterilized and couldn't breed anymore. Did that mean he wanted her to die? Would he do something to make her die because her hands and arms were dirty from the mud pies?
Related Themes:
Chapter 23
Explanation and Analysis—Imagination and Imagery:
Throughout the novel, both Francie and the narrator utilize metaphor, simile, and imagery reminiscent of fairytales. Shakespeare and the Bible make frequent appearances, though other story types also emerge within the novel's tapestry of figurative language. These metaphors and similes speak to Francie's affinity for literature. They are top of mind, especially in her youthful imagination, and thus they emerge naturally throughout the novel.
In the following example from Chapter 23, Francie alludes to Alice in Wonderland, comparing herself to Alice:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Francie was out walking one Saturday in October and she chanced on an unfamiliar neighborhood. Here were no tenements or raucous shabby stores. [...] The neighborhood stood old, quiet, and serene in the Saturday sunshine. There was a brooding quality about the neighborhood, a quiet, deep, timeless, shabby peace. Francie was as happy as though, like Alice, she had stepped through a magic mirror. She was in an enchanted land.
Related Themes:
