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Motif

By Mark Flanagan, About.com

Definition: A recurring theme or dominant idea in a work of literature.
Also Known As: theme
Examples:
A recurring motif in George Orwell's "1984" is urban decay. Winston Smith's run-down home, London's crumbling buildings, and the overall disintigration of the city all support Orwell's theme of the miserable results of total government control.

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