Image, Symbol ,and Motif

Cyrano de Bergerac

Image

Words and descriptions that create pictures in the reader’s mind or suggest special impressions.

Generally evokes one of the five senses. For Example:

“The pig wallowed in

the thick brown mud.”

“Her lips were red as licorice.”

Symbol

An image, object, color, place or character that represents a larger or more abstract idea or concept.

What else could an image

of a pig stand for?

What does justice look like?

Does it have a symbol?

For example

What are possible meanings of the fire imagery used in Lord of the Flies?

Why do you think William Golding uses it repeatedly?

Can you think of some other examples?

Motif

A recurring (or repeated) pattern of features – objects, images, symbols – in a literary work.

Motifs help the author to develop important ideas and themes in a literary work.

For example: The use fish symbols and imagery in Big Fish.

Why are these techniques used?

To draw attention on what the writer wants the reader to notice.

To create patterns within the work To create emphasis