1. Literary Symbol, Motif, & Image How to identify and analyze

2. Symbol:  Character, place, thing or event that stands for something else.  Often stands for an abstract idea.  Created through emphasis and repetition.  Examples: The two rivers in A Separate Peace stand for innocence and loss of innocence. The conch shell in Lord of the Flies stands for authority/leadership.

3. Motif:  Motif is an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work.  In a literary work, a motif can be seen as an image, sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of theme.  Motif and theme are linked in a literary work but there is a difference between them.  A motif develops or explains a theme while a theme is a central idea or message.

4. Examples of Motif:  Transformations in A Separate Peace: the boys go through physical, mental, social, and moral transformations, supporting the loss of innocence theme.  Savagery in Lord of the Flies: masks, spears, chants, and rituals support the theme of the heart of darkness inherent in humanity.

5. Function of Motif:  Along with presenting a prevailing theme, writers include several motifs in their literary works as reinforcements. Motifs contribute in developing the major theme of a literary work and help readers to comprehend the underlying messages that writers intend to communicate to them.

6. Image:  A word or phrase in a literary text that appeals directly to the reader's taste, touch, hearing, sight, or smell.  An image is any vivid or picturesque phrase that evokes a particular sensation in the reader's mind.

7. Examples of Image:  The tree in A Separate Peace: “It had loomed in my memory as a huge lone spike dominating the riverbank, forbidding as an artillery piece, high as the beanstalk.” The author uses simile, allusion, and vivid description that helps the reader to visualize the tree in a meaningful way. It also reinforces the theme of fear.

8. Image from Lord of the Flies  “... there was the head grinning amusedly in the strange daylight, ignoring the flies, the spilled guts, even ignoring the indignity of being spiked on a stick.” Sensory detail is strong, appealing to sight, smell, sound. The added personification strengthens the image, which furthers its symbolic significance. This stark image supports the themes of evil and darkness.

9. Recap:  Symbol: stands for something beyond itself – usually an abstract idea.  Motif: recurring image that supports or links to a theme.  Image: appeals to the senses (sight, taste, touch, smell, sound). Creates a picture in reader’s mind and stands out in a significant way.