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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
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Singing Benna on Sundays:
Benna is a style of calypso music unique to Antigua and Barbuda. Throughout the story, "singing benna in Sunday school" appears as a motif emphasizing the influences of British colonialism in the Caribbean. Mother initially asks her daughter:
Is it true that you sing benna in Sunday school?
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Domesticity:
Domesticity appears as a motif throughout the story. The story's interest in domesticity appears in references to clothing and food, especially because both these things become vehicles through which proper womanhood is enacted (according to Mother, at least). “Girl” begins with instructions on how to do laundry, then goes into soaking underwear, purchasing cotton for a blouse, and sewing on buttons. When Mother tells the girl how to hem a dress, it comes with her rationale tacked on:
Unlock with LitCharts A+This is how to hem a dress when you see the hem coming down and so to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Gender:
One motif that appears throughout the story is gender roles. Far more complex than just “man” and “woman,” Mother references different categories created not just by gender but also by class and age. The girl, as an adolescent, is on the precipice of becoming something else. Mother sees it as her job to determine what exactly the girl becomes. She describes both what the girl ought to aspire to and what she ought to avoid:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming.
Related Themes:
