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mbarkerOriginal Posting Oct. 25, 2017
Writer's Digest, July, 1994!, had an article by Nancy Kress on pages 8, 10, 11, talking about Undertoads and Oranges! The subtitle helps a little bit, "literary motifs can give your writing resonance and depth. Just don't overdo it."
Nancy starts right out by pointing out that topics like dialogue are fairly easy to write about, while others, like tone and distance, are harder. "But no topic is murkier or more volatile than literary motif. Here be dragons. Also landmines, bombs, and resistance fighters." Now what is a motif? "It's the meaningful use of extended symbols to add richness and depth to prose." Sounds simple, right?
Symbols? Objects or events that represent meaning beyond and larger than themselves. Flags, apple pie, etc. However, "unlike cultural symbols, literary symbols are invented by authors." And when the same symbol is used again and again in a fictional work, it becomes… You got it, a literary motif. Undertoad, in The World According to Garp, which becomes a family joke, and a warning about submerged dangers of life! Or sometimes an orange, a physical object, turns up repeatedly in a story, and becomes a motif.
Now, can your story benefit from a literary motif? Maybe. A symbol that grows naturally out of the story can certainly do what the subtitle said, add resonance and depth. So what makes a successful motif?
1. "An effective motif arises naturally from plot events, rather than being pasted on afterward." You are more likely to recognize them while drafting than choose or construct them.
2. "An effective motif is a fresh use of an object or event." No clichés. Look for individual, unexpected, yet logical symbols for your characters.
3. "An effective motif expands its meaning each time it appears." Layers of meaning. More significance, greater symbolism, complexity.
4. "An effective motif is used with a light hand." Don't overdo. Growing importance, but not overstressed. "Restraint keeps the motif from overpowering the story, from being just an exercise in the clever manipulation of symbols, or a tool the writer uses to teach readers a lesson."
Okay, so good motifs grow naturally from your working on plot and characters. Which means you aren't going to just add them on, like frosting and sprinkles on your cake. Nancy suggests a rule of thumb that if you're about two thirds of the way through the draft and there aren't any symbols that resonate with depth, don't worry about motifs. Probably not going to happen. On the other hand…
If you have an object, phrase, or event that recurs, with growing significance, in revision, think about how you might strengthen this motif. How can you extend or use it for greater resonance?
The end of the story is an effective place to to bring in the motif. There's a lot of significance in anything that you bring up here. Be careful that it doesn't look forced.
You might want to look just before the end, at the second-to-last scene. This is another good place to bring up the motif.
"Turning a symbol into a motif must be done lightly and deftly. It requires choosing motifs that are integral to the story events, not just handy tools for expounding on the theme. It requires integrating the motif naturally into the prose, without calling attention to the process. And it requires knowing when to stop, before use of the symbol becomes strained or even unintentionally farcical."
Motifs, like almost everything in writing, get easier with practice. When you're reading, watch how good writers handle motifs. And, when the story is right, the richness of a motif can be helpful!
All right. Practice? Well, I suppose you could look at a piece that you are working on and see. Is there something that's turning into a symbol, or even a motif, in there? What can you do to support that? Are there other places where you could work the symbol, the motif, into your story? Do the characters and plot work with the motif well?
And then, watch out for undertoads and oranges!
Write?
tink
Writer's Digest, July, 1994!, had an article by Nancy Kress on pages 8, 10, 11, talking about Undertoads and Oranges! The subtitle helps a little bit, "literary motifs can give your writing resonance and depth. Just don't overdo it."
Nancy starts right out by pointing out that topics like dialogue are fairly easy to write about, while others, like tone and distance, are harder. "But no topic is murkier or more volatile than literary motif. Here be dragons. Also landmines, bombs, and resistance fighters." Now what is a motif? "It's the meaningful use of extended symbols to add richness and depth to prose." Sounds simple, right?
Symbols? Objects or events that represent meaning beyond and larger than themselves. Flags, apple pie, etc. However, "unlike cultural symbols, literary symbols are invented by authors." And when the same symbol is used again and again in a fictional work, it becomes… You got it, a literary motif. Undertoad, in The World According to Garp, which becomes a family joke, and a warning about submerged dangers of life! Or sometimes an orange, a physical object, turns up repeatedly in a story, and becomes a motif.
Now, can your story benefit from a literary motif? Maybe. A symbol that grows naturally out of the story can certainly do what the subtitle said, add resonance and depth. So what makes a successful motif?
1. "An effective motif arises naturally from plot events, rather than being pasted on afterward." You are more likely to recognize them while drafting than choose or construct them.
2. "An effective motif is a fresh use of an object or event." No clichés. Look for individual, unexpected, yet logical symbols for your characters.
3. "An effective motif expands its meaning each time it appears." Layers of meaning. More significance, greater symbolism, complexity.
4. "An effective motif is used with a light hand." Don't overdo. Growing importance, but not overstressed. "Restraint keeps the motif from overpowering the story, from being just an exercise in the clever manipulation of symbols, or a tool the writer uses to teach readers a lesson."
Okay, so good motifs grow naturally from your working on plot and characters. Which means you aren't going to just add them on, like frosting and sprinkles on your cake. Nancy suggests a rule of thumb that if you're about two thirds of the way through the draft and there aren't any symbols that resonate with depth, don't worry about motifs. Probably not going to happen. On the other hand…
If you have an object, phrase, or event that recurs, with growing significance, in revision, think about how you might strengthen this motif. How can you extend or use it for greater resonance?
The end of the story is an effective place to to bring in the motif. There's a lot of significance in anything that you bring up here. Be careful that it doesn't look forced.
You might want to look just before the end, at the second-to-last scene. This is another good place to bring up the motif.
"Turning a symbol into a motif must be done lightly and deftly. It requires choosing motifs that are integral to the story events, not just handy tools for expounding on the theme. It requires integrating the motif naturally into the prose, without calling attention to the process. And it requires knowing when to stop, before use of the symbol becomes strained or even unintentionally farcical."
Motifs, like almost everything in writing, get easier with practice. When you're reading, watch how good writers handle motifs. And, when the story is right, the richness of a motif can be helpful!
All right. Practice? Well, I suppose you could look at a piece that you are working on and see. Is there something that's turning into a symbol, or even a motif, in there? What can you do to support that? Are there other places where you could work the symbol, the motif, into your story? Do the characters and plot work with the motif well?
And then, watch out for undertoads and oranges!
Write?
tink
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