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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 Paul’s Case
Part 1
Explanation and Analysis—Feminizing Paul:
Within the constructs of a patriarchal society, associating men with feminine things is often a linguistic shorthand to demean them or make them feel out of place. While all people who are socialized as men receive some such pressure to conform to masculinity, it is those who explicitly break the mold that receive the harshest punishment: in particular, LGBTQ+ men. Throughout “Paul’s Case,” the narrator uses feminizing language to describe Paul and distinguish him from his male peers, often going so far as to deliberately use words that signal queerness. This emerges as a motif within the text:
[B]ut for all that there was something of the dandy about him, and he wore an opal pin in his neatly knotted black four-in-hand, and a red carnation in his buttonhole.
Related Themes:
