Students often find it hard to distinguish between ‘motif’, ‘topic’ and ‘theme’. This is understandable since the terms are connected and are often used interchangeably in everyday life, without any clear distinction.In this post we'll help you understand the differences between these terms so that you use them correctly in your course and in your assignments.
What is motif?
This is the simplest one to define. A motif is a real concrete element of the text that actually appears written on the page. Motifs are repeated again and again throughout a text and through this repetition they begin to symbolise bigger ideas. Remember this idea of bigger ideas because it is important when understanding the relationship between motifs, topics and themes.
What can be a motif?
Basically anything that’s repeated in a text. Most often, however, motifs are repeated images, actions, phrases or objects.
Some examples?
Bernarda’s Rod in The House of Bernada Alba is a great example of a motif. It is a concrete real object that appears a number of times in the text. On it’s own the literal, obvious or basic meaning or Bernarda’s Rod is simply that it is the walking stick that Bernarda uses to support herself. However, through repetition and the way that Lorca makes Bernarda use it, the rod comes to symbolise the bigger ideas of repression and state control. In some ways it might also be symbolic of the scepter (basically a heavy golden stick) that kings or queens, certainly in England, have.
Windows and doors in The House of Bernarda Alba are another good example of objects used as motifs. The literal, obvious or basic meaning of a window or door is, simply, the thing that you walk through or look through. If they appeared only once or twice in the text they wouldn’t really be that important but because Lorca refers to them so often and so obviously they come to symbolise the bigger ideas of a longing for freedom and, by contrast, the restrictions and lack of freedom that the girls experience.
The repetition of ‘The One’ in the Matrix films is a good example of how a phrase can be used as a motif. By itself, ‘the one’ is nothing special. However, because it is repeated so many times in the film we begin to think of it in capitals as ‘The One’ and the phrase comes to suggest Neo’s uniqueness and almost saviour-like or Christ-like nature. Furthermore, the repeated use of bullet time when filming the fight sequences in which everything slows down and Neo is able to dodge bullets or punches is a good example of an action being used as a motif. Again this motif underlines the fact that Neo is unique and capable of things that normal mortals are not.
This is the confusing one because we often use the term THEME when actually we should be using the term TOPIC. We have already seen that motifs can be used to suggest or symbolise bigger ideas. Essentially those bigger ideas are what we call a topic. If you had to sum up in one or two words what a text is ‘about’ or what the main issues it is dealing with are then those would be the topics of the text.
Topics can be expressed very simply, in just one or two words. Consequently, they are very general and don’t go into very much detail. It is this lack of detail that is important because this is what distinguishes a TOPIC from a THEME: THEMES have more detail.
Examples of topics are easy to come up with – they are the things that we would normally (and erroneously) call themes. For example:
If a TOPIC is a very general, big idea of what a text is ‘about’ then a THEME is a much more detailed development of what the text says about that big idea. A theme often expresses the writer’s perspective on some aspect of human life. A theme is not quite the same as the moral of a story (if there is one) because the moral tells us what the world should be like whereas the theme tells us what the world is actually like. Themes are important because they contain a message or set of assumptions about the way the world is.
Because themes are more developed and more complex, they cannot be summarised in one or two words, but can be in one or two sentences. Generally, a sentence about a theme will take a TOPIC idea and develop it further. Obviously a text can have more than one theme. It would be a mistake to assert that a text is ‘about’ just one thing.
Below are some examples of things which are both themes and not themes to help make it clear what exactly a theme is.
‘Female Clothing’:
This doesn’t say anything about the world and is just an aspect of the text, something that we can find written down on the page. If this aspect is repeated enough then it might become a motif which could suggest a bigger idea. In Kiss of the Spider Woman Molina continually dwells on the details of clothing of the women in the films that he talks about; but in no sense is Kiss about female clothing.
‘The Role of Women in Society’
This is a good example of a topic. It is a big idea that a text might be ‘about’ at a very vague and general level. We can see also how a motif could help suggest this topic. In Kiss of a Spider Woman, Molina’s fascination with female clothing may suggest that society has very definite ideas about how a woman should dress.
This could be expressed in the following way:
The difference between TOPIC and THEME should now be fairly clear.
We have gone beyond the simple idea that Kiss of the Spider Woman is just ‘about’ the role of women and developed the idea into something really interesting and something which applies to both sexes. Now we can interpret the text as being ‘about’ how society has excluded (by sending to prison) two characters who do not fit the normal rules of how people should behave — Molina because of his sexual behaviour and Valentin because of his political behaviour. Furthermore, the fact that the characters do not fixed remain within their roles as political revolutionary or helpless homosexual suggests the idea that the roles that society constructs for people and that some of those people have constructed for themselves are arbitrary, made up and shifting.
1) The main character / hero is part of which group or groups?
• Consider: gender, race, age, ethnicity, religion, social / economic position, time period, job
• Once you have figured this out make a statement about that person as if it were true of all people in that position.
2) The opponent is part of which group or groups?
• Do the same for the enemy. Bear in mind that, while heroes are almost always individuals enemies can be things as vague as governments, businesses, societies or philosophies.
3) The setting is part of what kind of area?
• Consider: geographically, economically, historically, country or city
• Bear in mind that certain areas of the world have stereotypes associated with them, which may vary from person to person or culture to culture. For example, according to Hollywood, America is the land of the free where anything is possible, whereas the Middle East is a terrifying place where anything can happen and women have no freedom.
An Example: In Harry Potter the main character is a young, inexperienced, white boy of indeterminate wealth, religion or social position who continually manages to succeed against the vastly stronger, more experienced and powerful evil enemies he confronts. Importantly he has been abandoned by his parents and has suffered the cruelty of living with the Dursley’s for years until Hagrid turns up and takes him off to Hogwarts. Just look at Harry! He could be any white English / Western child. The vagueness of his wealth, religion and social position and the disrupted state of his family life mean that almost any child can aspire to be Harry. Although it is very interesting that he is both white and a boy. Indeed, apart from Hermione, girls play a fairly predictable role as objects of love (Cho Chang), mother figures (Professor McGonagall), whiny hopeless helpless things (Moaning Myrtle) or damsels in need of rescue (take your pick). Ethnic minorities are even more sidelined – the Patil twins get a brief outing in the Goblet of Fire where they are Harry and Ron’s last choice of dance partners and, along with Cho Chang, that’s about it for non-white characters. The enemy varies from book to book but they are all less powerful versions of Voldemort who represents selfishness, power, domination, control and ruthlessness. The setting could clearly be anywhere in England / the West / the world. The fact that it is magical just takes it out of the real world and means that it is no longer tied to a particular location.
So what’s the theme? That the pure of heart (exemplified by the young, inexperience but basically good Harry) can over come any amount of evil with courage, faith, bravery, hard work and friendship. Because Harry could be anyone and the wizarding world could be anywhere this applies to everyone. This is a theme that occurs again and again in movies and novels: in The Lord of the Rings the young and inexperienced Bilbo (& friends) defeat Sauron and in Spiderman the equally young and selfless Peter Parker uses super powers to overcome various fantastic villains. However, it doesn’t only happen in fantasy: in Maid in Manhattan Jennifer Lopez’s lowly, hard working, honest, single mother character eventually overcomes various obstacles (albeit not quite evil) to get the man in the end. The idea that ‘the pure and the good eventually come good’ is a massive theme in Western culture and is found almost everywhere. So much so that we often assume it to be true in real life. In one sense this theme is clearly rooted in the bible where eventually, even if life is bitterly cruel and unbearably harsh, the good and pure eventually gain the ultimate reward of heaven.
Here are some alternative questions which can help you identify theme:
What is the Goal of the Main Character?
• This is often first of all in an obvious physical form – the boy / girl, the job, the sports victory, the car, the house, the career, … etc. There is a basically unlimited number of these actual physical goals.
• However, this physical goal often represents a more abstract goal. These are much more limited in number. A character can desire a goal because it represents:
Success / power Love Recognition Revenge Loyalty Freedom Authenticity (being real, man!) Affirmation (to gain the approval of others) Confidence (to gain approval from themselves)
What are the Obstacles? Obstacles can come in a number of different forms:
• People: parents, teachers, policemen, priests, the boss, the stubborn horse, the little sister, …
• Objects: mountains, the sea, the cold, an animal, a trap, …
• Abstract: government, society in general, racism, poverty, nature, fate, God, ignorance, …
What is the Turning Point / Climax? There is often a point in the story where the main character discover something or has a revelation about his goal. There may be a speech at this point can reveal the themes of the text.
What are the Last Words? Often at the end of a novel or text an author can’t resist a very direct and obvious reference back to one of the major themes. This might be in the form of a direct statement or a symbol. A good example of a symbolic ending would be the death of Adela (who represents freedom and rebellion) at the end of The House of Bernarda Alba. Bernarda’s subsequent statement about silence reinforces the idea that society / the government / religion is crushing the freedom and individuality of people at the time in rural Spain. Obviously these things don’t have to actually be the final, final words in a text. In a long novel they might not even be in the last chapter.
What is the Title? The title can sometimes help identify a theme. It may do this in a number of ways:
• As a symbol – the Spider Woman, suggests entrapment and deviousness
• By using the main character to stand for the theme – Bernarda Alba represents repression
• By directly stating the theme – we will be together From Here to Eternity
If you are still having difficult identifying themes and motifs in your work, contact us. If you are new to our services, ask for your free trial session.
The repetition of ‘The One’ in the Matrix films is a good example of how a phrase can be used as a motif. By itself, ‘the one’ is nothing special. However, because it is repeated so many times in the film we begin to think of it in capitals as ‘The One’ and the phrase comes to suggest Neo’s uniqueness and almost saviour-like or Christ-like nature. Furthermore, the repeated use of bullet time when filming the fight sequences in which everything slows down and Neo is able to dodge bullets or punches is a good example of an action being used as a motif. Again this motif underlines the fact that Neo is unique and capable of things that normal mortals are not.
What is a topic?
This is the confusing one because we often use the term THEME when actually we should be using the term TOPIC. We have already seen that motifs can be used to suggest or symbolise bigger ideas. Essentially those bigger ideas are what we call a topic. If you had to sum up in one or two words what a text is ‘about’ or what the main issues it is dealing with are then those would be the topics of the text.
Topics can be expressed very simply, in just one or two words. Consequently, they are very general and don’t go into very much detail. It is this lack of detail that is important because this is what distinguishes a TOPIC from a THEME: THEMES have more detail.
Examples of topics are easy to come up with – they are the things that we would normally (and erroneously) call themes. For example:
- The role of women.
- The constructed nature of social roles.
- Appearance vs. reality.
- Freedom.
- Dictatorship
- Social control.
- Love.
- Loneliness.
So, what's a theme?
If a TOPIC is a very general, big idea of what a text is ‘about’ then a THEME is a much more detailed development of what the text says about that big idea. A theme often expresses the writer’s perspective on some aspect of human life. A theme is not quite the same as the moral of a story (if there is one) because the moral tells us what the world should be like whereas the theme tells us what the world is actually like. Themes are important because they contain a message or set of assumptions about the way the world is.
Because themes are more developed and more complex, they cannot be summarised in one or two words, but can be in one or two sentences. Generally, a sentence about a theme will take a TOPIC idea and develop it further. Obviously a text can have more than one theme. It would be a mistake to assert that a text is ‘about’ just one thing.
Below are some examples of things which are both themes and not themes to help make it clear what exactly a theme is.
‘Female Clothing’:
This doesn’t say anything about the world and is just an aspect of the text, something that we can find written down on the page. If this aspect is repeated enough then it might become a motif which could suggest a bigger idea. In Kiss of the Spider Woman Molina continually dwells on the details of clothing of the women in the films that he talks about; but in no sense is Kiss about female clothing.
‘The Role of Women in Society’
This is a good example of a topic. It is a big idea that a text might be ‘about’ at a very vague and general level. We can see also how a motif could help suggest this topic. In Kiss of a Spider Woman, Molina’s fascination with female clothing may suggest that society has very definite ideas about how a woman should dress.
This could be expressed in the following way:
‘Society constructs different roles for its members, both male and female. These roles are arbitrary but people who do not conform to them are treated as ‘perverted’, immoral, wrong and to be excluded.’
The difference between TOPIC and THEME should now be fairly clear.
We have gone beyond the simple idea that Kiss of the Spider Woman is just ‘about’ the role of women and developed the idea into something really interesting and something which applies to both sexes. Now we can interpret the text as being ‘about’ how society has excluded (by sending to prison) two characters who do not fit the normal rules of how people should behave — Molina because of his sexual behaviour and Valentin because of his political behaviour. Furthermore, the fact that the characters do not fixed remain within their roles as political revolutionary or helpless homosexual suggests the idea that the roles that society constructs for people and that some of those people have constructed for themselves are arbitrary, made up and shifting.
Over to you ...
To help you identify the themes in a work you can ask yourself the following three key questions:1) The main character / hero is part of which group or groups?
• Consider: gender, race, age, ethnicity, religion, social / economic position, time period, job
• Once you have figured this out make a statement about that person as if it were true of all people in that position.
2) The opponent is part of which group or groups?
• Do the same for the enemy. Bear in mind that, while heroes are almost always individuals enemies can be things as vague as governments, businesses, societies or philosophies.
3) The setting is part of what kind of area?
• Consider: geographically, economically, historically, country or city
• Bear in mind that certain areas of the world have stereotypes associated with them, which may vary from person to person or culture to culture. For example, according to Hollywood, America is the land of the free where anything is possible, whereas the Middle East is a terrifying place where anything can happen and women have no freedom.
An Example: In Harry Potter the main character is a young, inexperienced, white boy of indeterminate wealth, religion or social position who continually manages to succeed against the vastly stronger, more experienced and powerful evil enemies he confronts. Importantly he has been abandoned by his parents and has suffered the cruelty of living with the Dursley’s for years until Hagrid turns up and takes him off to Hogwarts. Just look at Harry! He could be any white English / Western child. The vagueness of his wealth, religion and social position and the disrupted state of his family life mean that almost any child can aspire to be Harry. Although it is very interesting that he is both white and a boy. Indeed, apart from Hermione, girls play a fairly predictable role as objects of love (Cho Chang), mother figures (Professor McGonagall), whiny hopeless helpless things (Moaning Myrtle) or damsels in need of rescue (take your pick). Ethnic minorities are even more sidelined – the Patil twins get a brief outing in the Goblet of Fire where they are Harry and Ron’s last choice of dance partners and, along with Cho Chang, that’s about it for non-white characters. The enemy varies from book to book but they are all less powerful versions of Voldemort who represents selfishness, power, domination, control and ruthlessness. The setting could clearly be anywhere in England / the West / the world. The fact that it is magical just takes it out of the real world and means that it is no longer tied to a particular location.
So what’s the theme? That the pure of heart (exemplified by the young, inexperience but basically good Harry) can over come any amount of evil with courage, faith, bravery, hard work and friendship. Because Harry could be anyone and the wizarding world could be anywhere this applies to everyone. This is a theme that occurs again and again in movies and novels: in The Lord of the Rings the young and inexperienced Bilbo (& friends) defeat Sauron and in Spiderman the equally young and selfless Peter Parker uses super powers to overcome various fantastic villains. However, it doesn’t only happen in fantasy: in Maid in Manhattan Jennifer Lopez’s lowly, hard working, honest, single mother character eventually overcomes various obstacles (albeit not quite evil) to get the man in the end. The idea that ‘the pure and the good eventually come good’ is a massive theme in Western culture and is found almost everywhere. So much so that we often assume it to be true in real life. In one sense this theme is clearly rooted in the bible where eventually, even if life is bitterly cruel and unbearably harsh, the good and pure eventually gain the ultimate reward of heaven.
Here are some alternative questions which can help you identify theme:
What is the Goal of the Main Character?
• This is often first of all in an obvious physical form – the boy / girl, the job, the sports victory, the car, the house, the career, … etc. There is a basically unlimited number of these actual physical goals.
• However, this physical goal often represents a more abstract goal. These are much more limited in number. A character can desire a goal because it represents:
Success / power Love Recognition Revenge Loyalty Freedom Authenticity (being real, man!) Affirmation (to gain the approval of others) Confidence (to gain approval from themselves)
What are the Obstacles? Obstacles can come in a number of different forms:
• People: parents, teachers, policemen, priests, the boss, the stubborn horse, the little sister, …
• Objects: mountains, the sea, the cold, an animal, a trap, …
• Abstract: government, society in general, racism, poverty, nature, fate, God, ignorance, …
What is the Turning Point / Climax? There is often a point in the story where the main character discover something or has a revelation about his goal. There may be a speech at this point can reveal the themes of the text.
What are the Last Words? Often at the end of a novel or text an author can’t resist a very direct and obvious reference back to one of the major themes. This might be in the form of a direct statement or a symbol. A good example of a symbolic ending would be the death of Adela (who represents freedom and rebellion) at the end of The House of Bernarda Alba. Bernarda’s subsequent statement about silence reinforces the idea that society / the government / religion is crushing the freedom and individuality of people at the time in rural Spain. Obviously these things don’t have to actually be the final, final words in a text. In a long novel they might not even be in the last chapter.
What is the Title? The title can sometimes help identify a theme. It may do this in a number of ways:
• As a symbol – the Spider Woman, suggests entrapment and deviousness
• By using the main character to stand for the theme – Bernarda Alba represents repression
• By directly stating the theme – we will be together From Here to Eternity
If you are still having difficult identifying themes and motifs in your work, contact us. If you are new to our services, ask for your free trial session.
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