Previous
Mood
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 Araby
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Isolation:
Throughout “Araby,” images of isolation form a motif that emphasizes how growing up—or coming of age—can lead to loneliness and despair. At the beginning of the story, for example, Joyce establishes that the narrator’s house is physically separate from the rest:
North Richmond Street, being blind, was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers’ School set the boys free. An uninhabited house of two storeys stood at the blind end, detached from its neighbours in a square ground.
Related Themes:
