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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 House Made of Dawn
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Abelito:
Francisco regularly refers to Abel with the nickname "Abelito." As a motif, this nickname plays on language and bolsters the sense of circularity at the heart of the novel. In Spanish, the suffix "ito" (or the feminine form, "ita") is diminutive: adding it to the end of a noun conveys the sense of littleness, either physical or metaphorical. The suffix is often a substitute for the adjective "pequeño," or "small." For instance, instead of calling a small horse "un caballo pequeño," a Spanish speaker might simply call it, "un caballito." Latin American Spanish speakers like Francisco commonly add "ito" or "ita" to the end of names to express affection or endearment. Francisco's nickname for Abel literally translates to "little Abel," and it signifies love. Even when Abel is an adult with battlefield trauma, an alcohol dependency, and a murder conviction, he remains Francisco's "little Abel."
Related Themes:
4. The Longhair, July 25
Explanation and Analysis—Embedded Stories:
Every so often in the novel, the main story about Abel becomes a frame story. One example of this motif occurs in Chapter 4, when Father Olguin tells the story of the saint Santiago sacrificing a rooster:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Santiago tore the [rooster] apart with his bare hands and scattered the remains all about on the ground. The blood and feathers of the bird became cultivated plants and domestic animals, enough for all the Pueblo people.
Related Themes:
10. The Night Chanter, February 20
Explanation and Analysis—Racing Mind:
Momaday uses stream of consciousness as a motif in the novel to give the reader a sense of characters' inner, anxious worlds. One clear example occurs in Chapter 10, when Ben Benally drunkenly delves into his memories:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Let's see...let's see; Manygoats gave me three dollars, and I bought a bottle of wine. I wonder who that great big girl was. I have two dollars and eleven cents. I wish I had some more of that wine. I wish I had another bottle of wine...and a dollar bill...and two dimes...and two pennies.
Ei yei! with a name like that, and she had dimes...dimes on her shoes.
Related Themes:
