What device is used to create a recurring theme or motif throughout a work?

A motif is specifically defined as a recurring element within a literary work that contributes to the development of its theme. It can take various forms, such as images, ideas, or patterns that repeat throughout the narrative to reinforce central concepts or emotional tones. By doing so, motifs help to unify the work and deepen the reader's understanding of its underlying messages.

While symbolism also entails the use of images or objects to convey deeper meanings, it focuses primarily on specific instances rather than the broader, consistent recurrence found in motifs. Imagery pertains to the use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses, helping to create vivid mental pictures, but does not inherently involve repetition. Theme encompasses the overarching ideas or messages of a literary work, but it is the motifs that serve as the building blocks to express those themes. Thus, identifying motif as the device that creates a recurring element is accurate in this context.