Symbols+&+Motifs

Symbols & Motifs

How are these used to maximise the play's effect?

Symbols are used as a technique to reinforce a point or represent something non-physical, such as an emotion, in the form of a physical object, action, sound or projected image. An Author may use a symbol in order to more strongly transmit a point of theme in their work, in the case of “The Shoe-Horn Sonata”, a play. In The Shoe-horn Sonata Misto has frequently used different objects as symbols, one of the most important being the shoe-horn. The shoe-horn is used throughout the play multiple times, each time representing a different thing such as the secret of Sheila and her sacrifice for quinine or their survival, which is what makes it differ from a motif.

A motif is a recurring symbol or theme used throughout a text, each time symbolising the same thing. Motifs, like symbols, are used as a method by the author to emphasise a particular point or represent something non-physical. Motifs, although similar to symbols, differ from them as they have the potential to generate a larger impact on the audience. A motif will often be used over a symbol when the desired effect requires reinforcement to fortify its meaning. In “The Shoe-Horn Sonata”, Misto has used multiple motifs such as the shoe-horn. In the Shoe-Horn Sonata, the shoe-horn acts as both a motif and a symbol, the motif being their survival as there are several instances where it is used as a tool to make the challenges presented to them in the camp easier and prolong their existence. An example of this is when Sheila attempts to make a deal with one of the Japanese soldiers, the shoe-horn in exchange for some quinine which would be used to save Bridie.  The Shoe-Horn; A symbol or motif is a recurring theme in an explicit text. It can be something of an sense, action or entity. In John Misto's case, he uses symbols such as the shoe-horn, to render a certain perspective. The shoe-horn is used manifold times although with a different representation each time.  John Misto’s play, ‘Shoe-Horn Sonata’, is attributed to those Australian women who were incinerated in the Japanese POW camps during war. In his play, Misto conveys a sense of survival during the hardships of war, their tenacity of their willingness to survive through secrecy and truth and the bands of friendship that have endured. It uses a number of dramatic techniques, such as symbols and motifs, to convey these ideas to the audience. A reoccurring motif that is demonstrated through the play is the shoe-horn; this motif intertwines with the two significant characters of the play-Bride & Sheila.  The shoe-horn was not only used as a musical instrument for the nurse’s orchestra, but was also a representation of secrecy, reconciliation and mateship.The shoe-horn is used not only as a symbol but also as a motif, the motif was the continous struggle of surviving-such as when the shoe-horn is used to wack Shiela over the head as they are floating Pacific Ocean, this can be seen as not only quite humourous, but a weapon that saved Shiela in a way as it was used to wake her up from drowning. Or when Shiela endevours to exchange the shoe-horn for quinnie for her sick bestfriend Bridie. The shoe-horn