Motifs/topics are reoccurring thematic elements that can be seen throughout a piece of literature. Examples of motifs or topics are:
- love
- death
- redemption
- the dangers of revenge
- greed
- the struggles of poverty
- class struggles
- tradition
Motifs or topics cannot be themes by themselves. It is not correct to say that the theme of a novel is love and courtship. Love and courtship are motifs or topics. However, one builds a theme from the motifs/topics seen in the novel. For example, a theme statement using the two motifs of love and courtship would look something like this:
"The novel reflects the theme that courtship free from unchecked passion can better enable individuals to discover authentic love."
In the example above, you can see how the theme presents a universal message or insight about life, building off of the motifs.