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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 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Book 1, Preface
Explanation and Analysis—Fukú:
The curse, which is called fukú, is a motif throughout The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Fukú is the principle around which the novel is organized—in the Preface, Díaz calls the novel a “fukú story.” Yunior explains:
They say it came first from Africa, carried in the screams of the enslaved; that it was the death bane of the Tainos, uttered just as one world perished and another began; that it was a demon drawn into Creation through the nightmare door that was cracked open in the Antilles. Fukú americanus, or more colloquially, fukú—generally a curse or a doom of some kind; specifically the Curse and the Doom of the New World.
Related Themes:
Book 1, Chapter 1: Ghetto Nerd at the End of the World (1974-1987)
Explanation and Analysis—Creative Writing:
Creative writing is a motif throughout The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It often functions to hold Yunior and Oscar together, both while Oscar is alive and after he dies. The two boys consider their love for writing to be a shared passion and identity.
Additionally, writing is a true outlet for Oscar; it helps him to be stable and make better decisions. He is happier and more grounded when he can write rather than attempt to socialize. In Chapter 1, Yunior explains that Oscar enjoyed Santo Domingo much more when he was allowed to sit and write:
Unlock with LitCharts A+The trip turned out to be something of a turning point for him. Instead of discouraging his writing, chasing him out of the house like his mother used to, his abuela, Nena Inca, let him be. Allowed him to sit in the back of the house as long as he wanted, didn’t insist that he should be ‘out in the world.’
Related Themes:
Book 1, Chapter 3: The Three Heartbreaks of Belicia Cabral (1955-1962)
Explanation and Analysis—Creative Writing:
Creative writing is a motif throughout The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It often functions to hold Yunior and Oscar together, both while Oscar is alive and after he dies. The two boys consider their love for writing to be a shared passion and identity.
Additionally, writing is a true outlet for Oscar; it helps him to be stable and make better decisions. He is happier and more grounded when he can write rather than attempt to socialize. In Chapter 1, Yunior explains that Oscar enjoyed Santo Domingo much more when he was allowed to sit and write:
Unlock with LitCharts A+The trip turned out to be something of a turning point for him. Instead of discouraging his writing, chasing him out of the house like his mother used to, his abuela, Nena Inca, let him be. Allowed him to sit in the back of the house as long as he wanted, didn’t insist that he should be ‘out in the world.’
Related Themes:
Book 2, Chapter 5: Poor Abelard (1944-1946)
Explanation and Analysis—Fukú:
The curse, which is called fukú, is a motif throughout The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Fukú is the principle around which the novel is organized—in the Preface, Díaz calls the novel a “fukú story.” Yunior explains:
Unlock with LitCharts A+They say it came first from Africa, carried in the screams of the enslaved; that it was the death bane of the Tainos, uttered just as one world perished and another began; that it was a demon drawn into Creation through the nightmare door that was cracked open in the Antilles. Fukú americanus, or more colloquially, fukú—generally a curse or a doom of some kind; specifically the Curse and the Doom of the New World.
Related Themes:
