WARM UP: REVIEW YOUR VOCAB
• Grab a grade cam sheet with the short answer
sheet.
• Review your vocabulary and get out all of your
reflections. You will need them for your vocab/
reading quiz.
SYMBOLISM AND MOTIFS
Devices of the Day
WHAT IS A SYMBOL?
• Simply speaking, a SYMBOL is a word or object that
stands for another word or object.
• A SYMBOL contains several layers of meaning, often
concealed at first sight, and is representative of
several other concepts than those that are visible in
the literal sense.
LET’S LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE OF A SYMBOL
IN LITERATURE:
• “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.”
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings, is a hero’s quest in which the
hobbit Frodo Baggins must destroy an all-powerful ring.
• This object is imbued with magic through its creation, and is a symbol for ultimate
power. The ultimate power also becomes equated with evil. The ring simply being in
Frodo’s presence begins to turn Frodo toward desire of power, and thus evil.
• However, Frodo’s ability to combat the power of the ring shows that he possesses a
great inner source of goodness.
IDENTIFYING A SYMBOL
We’re going to listen to “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman.
As you listen to the lyrics, try to figure out what the CAR represents.
“FAST CAR” BY TRACY CHAPMAN
You got a fast car
Is it fast enough so we can fly away?
We gotta make a decision
Leave tonight or live and die this way
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
What do you think the CAR represents in the song? Turn to a partner
and explain what you think. Use the lyrics as evidence.
WHAT’S A MOTIF?
• In a literary piece, a motif is a recurrent image, idea, or a symbol that
develops or explains a theme.
• What’s the difference between a motif and a symbol?
• Symbols are images, ideas, sounds or words that represent something else and help
to understand an idea or a thing.
• Motifs, on the other hand, are images, ideas, sounds or words that help to explain the
central idea of a literary work.
• Moreover, a symbol may appear once or twice in a literary work, whereas a motif
is a recurring element.
AN EXAMPLE OF A
MOTIF IN JULIUS
CAESAR
• Omens and Portents
• Until Caesar’s death, each time an
omen or nightmare is reported, the
audience is reminded of Caesar’s
impending demise.
• Whether or not individuals can affect
their destinies, characters repeatedly
fail to interpret the omens correctly.
• In a larger sense, the omens in Julius
Caesar imply the dangers of failing to
accurately perceive and analyze the
details of one’s world.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
• Try to find two quotes that you think could be
symbolism or find a motif in your book. Be sure to
explain what they are symbols for and why it’s
important in your novel.