Literary motifs

In narrative, a motif ( (listen) moh-TEEF) is a distinctive repeating feature or idea; often, it helps develop other narrative (or literary) aspects such as theme or mood.A narrative motif can be created through the use of imagery, structural components, language, and other elements throughout literature. The flute in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is a recurrent sound motif that conveys rural and idyllic notions.