Motif
A recurring element (image, object, phrase, character type, action) that appears throughout a literary work, developing or reinforcing the work's themes. Motifs create patterns that invite interpretation.
Real World
The recurring motif of sight and blindness in King Lear — from Gloucester's literal blinding to Lear's metaphorical blindness about his daughters — accumulates across the play to reinforce Shakespeare's theme that insight and suffering are inseparable.
Exam Focus
Track a motif across at least two moments in the text and explain how its meaning develops — single-instance identification scores far fewer marks.
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