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Definition of Motif
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of... read full definition
Chapter 6
Explanation and Analysis—Love:
Love becomes a significant motif in The Story of My Life that represents many kinds of wisdom, friendship, spirituality, and attraction. In her early childhood, Helen first associates love with knowledge and wisdom. In Chapter 2, she says of her mother, "I owe to her loving wisdom all that was bright and good in my long night." In Chapter 3, just before she meets Anne Sullivan, she thinks: “Knowledge is love and light and vision.” Both of these examples also associate love and wisdom with light or brightness, which is the antithesis of the silence and darkness she describes upon becoming deaf and blind. Her mother gave her affection and tried to teach her as much as possible about navigating the world around her, and Anne Sullivan provided more specific academic knowledge and finger-spelling skills that allowed Helen to communicate in an effective and satisfying way.
By contrast, in later chapters, love takes on a more spiritual connotation. One of the most moving passages about this appears in Chapter 6 during a conversation between Helen and her teacher:
"Love is something like the clouds that were in the sky before the sun came out,” she replied. Then in simpler words than these, which at that time I could not have understood, she explained: “You cannot touch the clouds, you know; but you feel the rain and know how glad the flowers and the thirsty earth are to have it after a hot day. You cannot touch love either; but you feel the sweetness that it pours into everything. Without love you would not be happy or want to play."
The beautiful truth burst upon my mind — I felt that there were invisible lines stretched between my spirit and the spirits of others.
Anne Sullivan describes love as something you cannot see or touch; this resonates with Helen because she so often gets frustrated at not being able to see. But in this scene, she learns that no matter how evanescent or invisible love might be, it exists and she has the capacity to feel it. She begins to realize that there are "invisible lines" between herself and others, and these "lines" represent an incredible unspoken communication among all human beings. The fact that she can conceptualize a powerful human experience—one that cannot be seen or heard by anyone—makes her feel more connected to her teacher and to the world at large. This particular discovery about love can also be seen in the earnest and intelligent voice in The Story of My Life; Helen has an endless capacity to connect with and appreciate the people around her.
Related Themes:
