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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
Book 1, Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—Sunflowers:
In My Ántonia, there's a recurring metaphor—which forms a motif—of sunflowers representing the 19th- and 20th-century American ideals of freedom, exploration, and Manifest Destiny. In Book 1, Chapter 3, Jim describes the “ribbons” of sunflower-bordered roads spanning the prairie through Nebraska and beyond:
[...] all along it, wherever it looped or ran, the sunflowers grew; some of them were as big as little trees, with great rough leaves and many branches which bore dozens of blossoms. They made a gold ribbon across the prairie.
Related Themes:
Book 1, Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis—Sunflowers:
In My Ántonia, there's a recurring metaphor—which forms a motif—of sunflowers representing the 19th- and 20th-century American ideals of freedom, exploration, and Manifest Destiny. In Book 1, Chapter 3, Jim describes the “ribbons” of sunflower-bordered roads spanning the prairie through Nebraska and beyond:
Unlock with LitCharts A+[...] all along it, wherever it looped or ran, the sunflowers grew; some of them were as big as little trees, with great rough leaves and many branches which bore dozens of blossoms. They made a gold ribbon across the prairie.
Related Themes:
