A Motif is anything symbolic that recurs in a story. It could be a thing or a place or a statement. The green light in The Great Gatsby is a Motif. The repeated,"My father said that the reason for living is getting ready to stay dead." in William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying is a motif.
In music, a motif is a perceivable or salient reoccuring figure or fragment that may used to construct the entirety or parts of complete melodies, themes, and even accompaniment.