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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 This Side of Paradise
Book 1, Chapter 1: Amory, Son of Beatrice
Explanation and Analysis—Love of the Performance:
Fitzgerald excoriates the upper class for their intensely manipulative social mores throughout This Side of Paradise. One motif that relates to Fitzgerald's exploration of money and class is that of theatrical performance and opera. In Book 1, Chapter 1, Fitzgerald uses a metaphor to explain Amory's social struggles at St. Regis:
With a dread of being alone he attached a few friends, but since they were not among the elite of the school he used them simply as mirrors of himself, audiences before which he might do that posing absolutely essential to him. He was unbearably lonely, desperately unhappy.
Related Themes:
Book 1, Chapter 2: Spires and Gargoyles
Explanation and Analysis—Love of the Performance:
Fitzgerald excoriates the upper class for their intensely manipulative social mores throughout This Side of Paradise. One motif that relates to Fitzgerald's exploration of money and class is that of theatrical performance and opera. In Book 1, Chapter 1, Fitzgerald uses a metaphor to explain Amory's social struggles at St. Regis:
Unlock with LitCharts A+With a dread of being alone he attached a few friends, but since they were not among the elite of the school he used them simply as mirrors of himself, audiences before which he might do that posing absolutely essential to him. He was unbearably lonely, desperately unhappy.
Related Themes:
