 Hello everyone, this is Mr. P. In today's lesson, we're going to take a look at literary devices. Theme, motif, and symbol. Let's start by defining what literary devices are. Literary devices are typical structures used by writers in their works to convey their messages in a simple manner to their readers. When employed properly, the different literary devices help readers to appreciate, interpret, and analyze a literary work. So then let's start by defining a theme. The theme of a literary work is a central idea that it conveys either directly or implicitly. In its broad sense, the term refers to an abstract concept that recurs in many works of literature. Example, courtship, the horrors of war, or conflict between parents and children. But there are many other examples and we're going to discuss them. So for example, Mark Twain's adventures of Huckleberry Finn highlights that the true morality depends on sympathy for other suffering rather than on rules of conduct imposed by society or organized religion. The idea is never stated outright. Instead, it is suggested by the characters. Recognizing a theme can help readers to compare and contrast works that treat the same central concept and to articulate the values and attitudes that underlie a given literary work. Yet another example, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, includes the dire effects of superstition and rumor, the insidious repercussions of envy and hypocrisy, and the injustice and oppression that may be carried out in the name of vigilance and orthodoxy. Important, some author's thematic intentions are asserted openly, especially in works whose major purpose is to instruct or persuade. Let's look at some themes. The rights of women are essential in a civilized world. That's right. Tyranny and hypocrisy bring chaos. Morality and piety constitute a good way to rule a state. The forcefulness of love supersedes all other values, loyalties and emotions. Fate is inevitable. And now let's take a look at motif. A motif is a recurring structure, contrast, literary device, or a figure that has a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of a theme. Motifs and themes are linked in a literary work, but there is a significance between them. A motif develops or explains a theme, while a theme is a central idea or message. Let's look at an example. In Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry's Finn, we see several motifs that support the central idea of the narrative. The motif of childhood gives the novel a lighter tone and makes it enjoyable to read despite its grave central ideas of slavery and racism. Both Huck and Tom are young and flexible, enough to undergo a moral education, and thus are more open-minded than adults. Another example in Shakespeare's Hamlet, we find a recurring motif of incest, accompanied by incestuous desires of some characters. Laertes speaks to his sister Ophelia in a way that is sexually explicit. Hamlet's obsession with Gertrude's sexual life with Claudius has an underlying tone of incestuous desire. There is also a motif of hatred for women that Hamlet experiences in his relationship with Gertrude and Ophelia. So let's take a look at Symbol now. A symbol is an object, action or event that represents something or creates a range of associations beyond itself. Some conventional or public symbols are widespread in a given culture, for example the hammer and the sickle, a monarch's crown, the red cross, etc. Let's take a look at yet more examples. In Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huck and Barry Finn, we see the voyage as a symbol of self-discovery. Warning, a symbol represents the image but leaves the subject that represents open to a wide range of possible interpretations. Here we have many symbols, so we have the symbol of Batman, or Superman, or recycle, or music, or knowledge, or power, or party, or time, love, religion, or faith, or murder, and yes, death, or monarchy, power, or life. Now let's take a look at differences. So for example, theme refers to the central deeper meaning of a written work. They are often subject to the reader's perception and interpretation. So let's take a look at Romeo and Juliet. The power of romantic love and its potentially devastating effects is one theme that we see in Romeo and Juliet. Motives are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that help to explain the central idea of a literary work, the theme. In Romeo and Juliet, light and dark imagery are generally used to provide a sensory contrast and to hint at opposed alternatives. Symbols instead are images, idea, sounds, or words that represent something else and help to understand an idea or a thing. In Romeo and Juliet, Poison points at a tragic death, what actually happens in the play. So that's it for today. If you have questions, you may post them under this video. In the meantime, thanks for watching. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel if you haven't. Don't forget to hit the like button, and if you want to share, you may. Have a great day and see you next time. Take care, bye-bye.