Justin Cartwright

America is the big subject of the second half of the 20th century, tackled in one form or another by all the great American male writers. You could make a case for saying that it was the only game in town - from Bellow to Roth to Updike to Richard Ford - America was more or less explicitly the leitmotif.

British Novelist

Robert Gottlieb

American Writer

Originally from opera, where melodies represent characters or ideas.

Music Connection

In movies, a leitmotif may be a melody that reappears to highlight emotional moments.

Cinematic Repetition

The leitmotif might be understated but holds deeper meaning.

Subtle Significance

A leitmotif isn't just a detail, it's a central idea that is repeatedly emphasized.

Conceptual Focus

Used in scholarly contexts to explore core themes in more depth.

Academic Discussion

Leitmotif can be a subtly repeated idea that influences the work's tone.