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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—Eye of the Football Pitch:
Early in the novel, Ham uses simile and metaphor to compare Dungatar to a face, in which the center of the football pitch is an eye that returns Tilly's gaze. Over the course of the novel, the motif of the football pitch comes to represent the community that Tilly and Molly are excluded from—but which relentlessly scrutinizes them.
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Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Character Names:
Many of the character names in The Dressmaker contribute to the satirical atmosphere of the novel. The tongue-in-cheek wordplay that informs the names has a humorous effect, which functions as a signal that the reader shouldn't take the characters seriously.
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Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Singer Sewing Machine:
When Tilly arrives in Dungatar in Chapter 1, one of the items she brings with her is "something with a domed cover with 'Singer' printed in gold letters across its side." With this allusion to the Singer sewing machine, Ham both gives the reader a sense of the time period the story is set in and hints that Tilly is the dressmaker mentioned in the title. Serving as a motif in the novel, the Singer sewing machine becomes linked with Tilly. Her sewing talents are a key aspect of her characterization.
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Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Views and Looking:
In The Dressmaker, Ham often presents her descriptions of Dungatar and its surroundings from distant vantage points—either above or below what's being looked at. Through the motif of views and looking, the novel explores the subjectivity of truth and the influence that perspective has on what one sees and understands.
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