Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

Food

Food plays a prominent role in Brighton Beach Memoirs, serving not only as necessary sustenance but also as a way for the family to connect. In Acts One and Two, the entire family gathers around the dinner table for physical and emotional nourishment. Some of the most significant discussions take place at the table, and Jack even calls dinnertime the “family hour,” asking others to bring up their problems instead of hiding them from him. Food is also referenced at other times, particularly with Eugene’s continued runs to the store to pick up a few items that will round out a meal. These errands emphasize the important place that food holds for this family, indicating that it represents more than simple nourishment. For the Jerome household, food is a way to show love.

Money

Because the Jerome household lacks economic security, much of their conversation and concern surrounds money. The play is set in 1937, during the Great Depression, and Jack struggles to make ends meet. Even when money is not specifically mentioned, its lack is always clear, as evidenced by Eugene’s worn-out shoes and the liver dinner. Jack’s loss of his second job and Stanley’s loss of a week’s salary represent potential catastrophes. Stanley, Nora, and Jack contemplate taking drastic measures—Stanley and Nora leaving home to earn money, and Jack endangering his life by ignoring his doctor’s orders. They make these choices because Jack, Stanley, and to a lesser extent, Nora, tie their self-worth to providing financially. Money becomes so important during this particular week as the family flirts with economic disaster. This scare jolts the characters into finally communicating openly with one another about what matters to them more than money: family.

Imagination

As Eugene narrates the play, his active imagination is on full display, whether it’s focusing on fantasies of achieving greatness in sports or describing his family. He expresses interest in being a writer someday and his running commentary on major family events shows that he already is shaping daily life into a narrative that tells a more dramatic tale. Others show a flair for imagination as well. Kate spins out a story about the Murphys without ever having met either the son or the mother, and Nora’s career choice is the stage, which relies on creativity and imagination. Even Laurie’s daily habits are crafted around the story her mother tells about her illness. The fact that imagination permeates the fiber of this family shows the members’ desire to transcend their daily struggles while also carving out a private inner place for themselves. The characters can all recede into their fantasies—Eugene as a writer, Nora as a dancer, and Blanche to a world where her husband is still alive. By using their imagination, Eugene and the others use their imagination to transform their current situation into a better one with fewer problems and sorrows.