Themes‚ Motifs‚ and Symbols Themes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Search for Spiritual Enlightenment In Siddhartha‚ an unrelenting search for truth is essential for achieving a harmonious relationship with the world. The truth for which Siddhartha and Govinda search is a universal understanding of life‚ or Nirvana. Siddhartha and Govinda both have a fundamental desire to understand their lives through spirituality‚ seek to do this by
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sons. Besides leaving something to his kids‚ Willy is deeply obsessed with raising his son who once bore so much potential‚ but is now a failure. In his play Death of a Salesman‚ Arthur Miller uses motifs of seeds‚ nature‚ and diamonds to bring to light Willy’s caring but ignorant nature. The motif of seeds and a garden are a metaphor for Biff. When Willy first mentions seeds and growing he states that‚ “The grass don’t grow any more‚ you can’t raise a carrot in the back yard . . . remember those
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In The Great Gatsby‚ F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the motifs of hiding and concealing to emphasize the strange aura of Gatsby‚ how he tries to cover up his past‚ and his “love” of Daisy. From the way he talks‚ by constantly saying “old sport”‚ to his actions; always pulling guests aside to have private conversations‚ at parties‚ Gatsby’s actions are unusual. He makes up false stories regarding his past and how he became so rich. Gatsby’s love of Daisy has been a delusion‚ as he only wants to marry into
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across Salem‚ Massachusetts. These investigations cause great havoc and pandemonium through out the Puritan society. However‚ Tituba’s confessions were all lies for she is angelic and as kind-hearted as one could be. In Elaine G. Breslaw’s Tituba: Reluctant Witch of Salem: Devilish Indians and Puritan Fantasies‚ Tituba‚ described by Breslaw‚ has four compatible labels‚ however‚ the two labels that best inform us of the importance of Tituba as a historical figure is: American Indian and an outsider.
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In the novel Heart of Darkness‚ the author Joseph Conrad uses the motif of darkness and the words “heart of darkness” to represent the unknown. For example‚ as our framed narrator travels via boat down the coast of Africa to begin his work with the company‚ he observes the ‘“edge of a colossal jungle‚ so dark-green as to be almost black‚ fringed with white surf‚ ran straight‚ like a ruled line‚ far‚ far away along a blue sea whose glitter was blurred by a creeping mist’” (Conrad 18). Here‚ darkness
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acknowledging the consequences until later. In William Shakespeare’s Elizabethan tragedy Macbeth‚ the corruptive quality of power influences the individual to go against their nature in order to obtain power by any means necessary. Shakespeare utilizes the motif of blood to show that the steps taken to obtain power will not always yield favorable results and the consequences will stay with the individual. In order to possess power‚ an individual may decide to commit an act that goes entirely against their
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York City after being kicked out of school for the third time after his brother’s death. Drinking‚ smoking‚ and other self-destructive behaviors largely constitute most of Holden’s time spent over the course of these three days. Salinger uses the motif of avoidance to illustrate that teenagers hide from their problems in order to attempt an escape from the pain of reality. Holden tries to run away from the sources of his problems‚ thinking that this esape will allow them to be solved by themselves
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Desdemona and Othello’s relationship. As a result‚ the twisted heaven and hell imagery used near the end of Othello reflects the eventual break down of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage. Thus‚ in Shakespeare’s Othello‚ the connotation of the religious motifs throughout are used to develop the idea that even the most loving couples have their flaws leaving them vulnerable to the destructive powers of jealousy brought on by the manipulative influences of others‚ resulting in suspicion and ultimately betrayal
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Alyssa Klimo English 3-4 Clean from my Hand I believe that the most prominent of the many motifs in Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” was blood. Blood appears in nearly every scene‚ if not physically then at least as an idea. It is like a presence lurking in the background at every moment‚ waiting to make its grand appearance. In the opening scene of Macbeth‚ blood as well as grime covers the captain‚ who has just gotten back from one of the bloodiest battles of Scotland to that date. King
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The Sun Motif The sun‚ warm and beautiful‚ is a necessity of all life force on earth. In contrast to the sun warmth and beauty‚ Albert Camus uses the sun as the motivation of the main character Meursault’s actions in The Stranger. The sun is a complex symbol which has several meanings in the novel. From the day of Maman’s funeral to the day of his death‚ the sun keeps repeating again and again throughout the novel‚ and it is a distraction to the main character Meursault. The sun is a symbol of
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