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1->''"1. a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., esp. in a literary, artistic, or musical work.\
22. a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on wallpaper.\
33. a dominant idea or feature."''
4-->-- [[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/motif Dictionary.com]]
5
6Technically, the word "motif" can mean a variety of different things. In trope land, however, a motif is best described by the first definition above; it's something symbolic that keeps turning up in order to reinforce the main theme of the work. Usually, this is a physical item, although a motif may show itself in other ways -- such as through dialogue. It may even be a double motif: a pattern on somebody's sofa, an emblem on the heroine's shirt or a bumper sticker on the hero's car.
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8Sometimes it can be difficult to establish what is a motif, and what isn't. Their defining characteristics are that they appear more than once and they must be significant in some way. A sea shell on its own is not a motif. However, if a painting of a seascape turns up ten minutes later, followed by a tank full of tropical fish, then that sea shell probably ''is'' a motif - the objects that show up afterwards reinforce the theme of "the sea."
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10Broadly speaking, motifs are employed in three different ways:
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12* A single object, or a collection of extremely similar objects, that appear(s) many times throughout the course of the play/film/book. Tends to place a lot of importance on the item itself, possibly at the expense of whatever they are supposed to represent. Example: The titular [[Theatre/TheGlassMenagerie Glass Menagerie]], in particular the glass unicorn.
13* A collection of related objects or symbols that appear over and over again. Generally the most popular option, as it marks the motifs as significant, but puts the emphasis firmly on the theme. Example: the various vehicles that appear in ''Anime/AdolescenceOfUtena''.
14* An assortment of objects that don't ''seem'' to be related, but on closer inspection have an underlying resemblance that serve the theme. For example, a black cat, spilled salt and an umbrella left open indoors all point to the theme of bad luck. The audience may have to [[EpilepticTrees spend some time looking for the connection]].
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16In literature, television or film, it's quite rare, although not impossible, for a motif to be a theme in itself. It's possible that the dead roses the hero and his girlfriend keep coming across are just a reflection on their lack of gardening skills if gardening is a theme of the story. It's more likely, however, that the dead roses signify that their romantic relationship is in trouble.
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18Motifs are a favourite subject for English essays, and they've been responsible for many an [[EpilepticTrees epileptic tree]] -- [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory since]] ''[[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory anything]]'' [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory can be a motif]] [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic if you squint hard enough]] (and can find some way of relating it to other objects).
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20Compare CentralTheme (the idea ''behind'' the story), {{Symbolism}}, ShapesAndSymbolsTropes.
21----
22[[index]]
23!!Motif groupings:
24* AnimalMotifs
25* BiblicalMotifs
26* BodyMotifs
27* ChessMotifs
28* ColorMotif
29* CosmicMotifs
30* DualityMotif
31* ElementalMotifs
32* EliteFour
33* EsotericMotifs
34* EyeMotifs
35* FairytaleMotifs
36* FlowerMotifs
37* GemstoneMotifs
38* HolidayMotif
39* {{Leitmotif}}
40* MetallicMotifs
41* MoodMotif
42* MythicalMotifs
43* NumerologicalMotif
44* PlayingCardMotifs
45* RecurringRiff
46* SettingGimmicks
47* SkeletonMotif
48* SymbolMotifClothing
49* TarotMotifs
50* ThemeNaming
51* ZodiacMotifs
52
53See also:
54* MotifMerger
55
56!!Motifs that demanded their own page:
57* AceOfSpades
58* AnimalMetaphor
59* ArachnidAppearanceAndAttire
60* ArcNumber
61* ArcSymbol
62* ArcWords
63* AstralCheckerboardDecor
64* BladeOfGrassCut
65* ButterflyOfDeathAndRebirth
66* ButterflyOfTransformation
67* CherryBlossoms
68* ClocksOfControl
69* DeathsHourglass
70* EasternZodiac
71* ElementalPowers
72* ElementalRivalry
73* EyeOfProvidence
74* FanaticalFire
75* FeatherMotif
76* FourTemperamentEnsemble
77* TheFourGods
78* FieldOfBlades
79* HeartOfTheMatter
80* TheLawsOfMagic
81* LoveIsLikeReligion
82* MacabreMothMotif
83* {{Ouroboros}}
84* PersonalityBloodTypes
85* ThePowerOfLanguage
86* ThePhoenix
87* RainbowMotif
88* RainbowsAndUnicorns
89* RecurringCameraShot
90* SeasonalBaggage (Seasonal Motif)
91* SolarAndLunar
92* SunnySunflowerDisposition
93* TemptingApple
94* TheTower
95* TigerVersusDragon
96* {{Unicorn}}
97* VirtueViceCodification
98* WorldTree
99* WesternZodiac
100[[/index]]
101----
102!!Other examples:
103
104[[AC:Literature]]
105* In ''Literature/{{Spoonbenders}}'', each member of the Telemachus Family is associated with a Zener card, chapters focusing on a specific character beginning with one of the cards and each chapter's sections separated with their corresponding shapes: Teddy is a square, Irene is the star, Matty are the three wavy lines, Frankie is the circle and Buddy is the plus-sign.
106
107[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
108* In ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'', beside water motifs, Galadriel is associated with boats/ships too, symbolizing her struggle to distinguish right from wrong in her quest for revenge. The pilot begins with a young Galadriel building up a paper boat which gets destroyed by other children. Finrod invites her to listen to an anecdote about why a ship can sail and a rock cannot, to which Galadriel asks which light is the sail supposed to follow if the water can reflect the light just as strong, foreshadowing meeting a disguised Sauron in human form on the wreck of a ship in the future. As an adult, she is is send to Valinor, but refuses to go by jumping off the {{Swan Boat|s}} and trying to swim back to Middle-earth, leading her to Sauron. Later, she ends up in Numenor, known for its maritime power. At the end of Season One, after blowing off Sauron's disguise, he traps her in a memory of the ship wreck where they met, and tries to recruit her for his cause. Galadriel refuses and is nearly killed by Sauron.
109
110[[AC:Webcomics]]
111* ''Webcomic/ShenComix'': Most of the human characters in ''Public U. Art Club'' have fruit motifs. Apple for Ana, strawberry for Sofia, banana for Beatrix, lemon for Lilith, grape for the art teacher, durian for the engineering student, and lime for Leanne.

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