narrative motif
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literary term; any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story
~3 min read
Encyclopedic overview
A motif (/moʊˈtiːf/ moh-TEEF) is any distinctive feature or idea that recurs across a story; often, it helps develop other narrative elements 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. Another example from modern American literature is the green light found in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “narrative motif” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.