Final answer:
Character types, plot patterns, and images that recur throughout world literature are known as literary motifs, which can help identify themes and deepen understanding of a story.
Step-by-step explanation:
Character types, plot patterns, and images that recur throughout world literature are known as literary motifs.
Literary motifs are elements that appear repeatedly across various works of literature. They can have thematic significance and may be presented as language patterns, characters, images, or events. For instance, a repeated image such as a journey might symbolize the protagonist's personal growth. Identifying motifs helps readers discern underlying themes and authors' messages within a work, such as the recurring use of biblical imagery in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to reflect characters' creation and existence. Genres like gothic, romance, or bildungsroman often rely on specific motifs common to their narrative style.
Understanding motifs can offer deeper insights into the themes of a story. For example, a motif might symbolize something larger within the narrative, like a park symbolizing childhood in a story that addresses the transition to adulthood.