Motifs serve several important functions within a film's narrative and stylistic systems.
Motifs help unify films by establishing central issues and images to which the film returns again and again. Motifs can make the viewer recall previous moments in the film when that image or idea appeared, allowing the film maker to help the audience identify narrative patterns, making connections between characters, events, and ideas. The motif also communicates Eve's vulnerability at crucial narrative moments. Ideally, each element in a film should be motivated. That, is, it should serve some kind of function.