1. Theme, Symbols, Archetypes, and Motifs
The differences and examples.

2. Theme The central idea or message in a work
Do not use clichés to express theme: Love is a double edged sword.
Instead use something like: The dangers of love and lust

3. Symbols
The use of one object to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object
Clock = time/life

4. Motif A phrase, idea, or event that through repetition reveals a theme
Used to reinforce the theme.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the motif of small town Southern life of Macomb reveals the goodness and pleasantness in life

5. The differences They are all kind of interconnected.
The theme is the central message,
A motif is an image, idea, symbol that reinforces the theme, and
A symbol is a thing that helps us understand an idea or concept in a story.

6. Examples to clarify: The Great Gatsby
Theme: The decline of the American dream in the 1920’s
Motif: geography that is representative of class
Symbol: The Valley of Ashes = The downtrodden poor

7. Archetype
An abstract or ideal conception of a type: a perfectly typical example
Situational, setting, character, symbolic
The quest
Small town
The mentor
The color yellow

8. Situational Archetypes
The Quest – The search for someone or something to restore order and peace.
Anthem
Quest for knowledge

9. Situational Archetypes
The Task – Something that must be done.
Lord of the Rings
Frodo destroying
the ring

10. Situational Archetypes
The Journey – The hero confronts trials along the way.
The Odyssey
The long journey
home fraught with
peril.

11. Situational Archetypes
The Initiation - A character matures and takes responsibility
To Kill a Mockingbird
Jem and Scout both
find maturity through
their experiences.

12. Situational Archetypes
The Magic Weapon - The hero has the ability to use this to be successful in the quest or to prove he or she is the chosen one
King Arthur
The sword in the stone
Excalibur

13. Situational Archetypes
The Unhealable Wound – A wound, physical or psychological, that never heals
The Lord of the Rings
Frodo is stabbed by
the Morgal blade and
the wound never heals
completely

14. Situational Archetypes
Death and Rebirth - Shows the circle of life
The Great Gatsby
James Gatz is reborn
into Jay Gatsby. Also,
Jay and Daisy’s love is
reborn after its death.

15. Situational Archetypes
Battle of Good and Evil - Good ultimately triumphs
Night
Nazis vs. the Jews

16. Situational Archetypes
Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity - A character will have intuition and knowledge that is better than those in charge
The Catcher in the Rye

17. Situational Archetypes
Nature vs. Mechanistic World - This has nature as being good and technology as bad
Fahrenheit 451