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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—The Beaded Curtain:
Hemingway has the man and the girl engage with the beaded curtain at the entrance to the bar several times during the story, forming a motif. Given Hemingway’s minimalist use of language, whenever he takes time to describe an element of the setting, it suggests that said element holds broader symbolic or thematic importance. He introduces the curtain in the following way at the beginning of the story:
Close against the side of the station there was the warm shadow of the building and a curtain, made of strings of bamboo beads, hung across the open door into the bar, to keep out flies.
Related Themes:
