The term "motif" refers to recurring ideas or thoughts that act as a unifying idea, and it sometimes develops as a commentary on characterization or on the central ideas in the work. Sometimes motifs recur so frequently that they enhance the meaning of the novel and often rise to symbolic importance. The recurrence of a motif also acts as a unifying idea in the work. Each reading of the novel should suggest additional motifs for the experienced reader, but the purpose here is to suggest only a few of the most dominant motifs.
