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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
Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—White Sphinx :
The white sphinx is a motif throughout the book. It represents the riddle of the future that the Time Traveller finds himself in, and his attempts to understand and make sense of the society he encounters. While he has unraveled the mystery of time travel, a further riddle awaits: the theft of his machine, and the terrible truth about the Eloi society.
The sphinx, an ancient symbol of mystery and riddles, represents the unknown and the unknowable nature of the future:
I saw the white figure more distinctly [...] It was of white marble, in shape something like a winged sphinx, but the wings, instead of being carried vertically at the sides, were spread so that it seemed to hover. It chanced that the face was towards me; the sightless eyes seemed to watch me; there was the faint shadow of a smile on the lips. It was greatly weather-worn, and that imparted an unpleasant suggestion of disease.
Related Themes:
