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Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text's major themes.
The Alaskan Wilderness
In Crave the Alaskan wilderness is not just a setting, it’s practically a character. It’s an important, ever-present motif that shapes the narrative. Denali’s vast, rugged landscape mirrors the novel's preoccupation with the unknown and the uncivilized. The dangerously cold weather and the vast, craggy horizons of the geography surrounding the school creates a backdrop that emphasizes the smallness of the novel’s characters. The wilderness, which is hard to move through and can seem oppressive, also serves as a metaphor for the internal struggles Grace and her companions go through. Things are just a little wilder in Alaska than they are elsewhere, especially when there are werewolves and dragons involved. The author uses the isolation, colossal scale, and harshness of Alaska to represent the distance Grace feels from her previous
Forbidden Love
Forbidden love is a central motif in Crave: there are characters who love outside their supernatural affiliation, outside of their monogamous relationships, and even outside of the boundaries of life and death. The love story between the apparently human Grace and the Vampire Prince Jaxon is the most obvious example of this, as it crosses the boundaries of Katmere’s social norms. Lia Tanaka is still in love with her dead partner Hudson, and is willing to become a murderer in order to get him back. The secret she keeps throughout the novel eats away at her, eventually resulting in her death. This motif explores the tension between the “heart” and the “head,” as in Crave the power of love can make people do irrational and often violent things.
Secret Passageways and Rooms
The secret passageways in Crave are aligned with the novel’s narrative of journeying into the unknown both literally and metaphorically. For Grace, discovering and navigating these hidden corridors mirrors her journey of unlocking the secret supernatural world of Katmere, and her own place within it. These passageways are a physical representation of the many uncharted territories in her life. Lots of the novel’s important events happen within them, as Grace advances further and further into unfamiliar physical and psychological territories.
The existence of secret passageways in a Gothic castle like Katmere Academy is also a nod to classic Gothic literature. In the works of writers like Edgar Allen Poe, secret rooms and hidden passages often point to the presence of hidden truths and histories. In Crave, these passageways lead to revelations about the motivations behind characters’ actions. They become a conduit for Grace to uncover hidden aspects of the clandestine world she has become a part of, as well as secrets about her own family and heritage.
At times, the secret passageways also provide a means of escape or refuge for the characters. They remind us of the value of partisan knowledge: being able to slip away or hide gives some characters a huge advantage over others. In a world where supernatural beings exist, these hidden routes offer a tactical advantage for evasion or stealthy movements. They’re crucial in a setting filled with potential threats and power struggles.
On an emotional level, the secret passageways are related to the internal journeys all teenagers undergo. Just as Grace tentatively navigates these hidden corridors, she is also navigating her own emotions, desires, and identity. The twists and turns of the passageways mirror the complexities and uncertainties of her personal development. It’s also not a coincidence that these concealed passageways to self-knowledge are made of stone: in more ways than one, Grace is too.
