Symbol for holiness
On the first day described in the book, Adso arrives with William at an octagonal abbey. Adso analyzes the abbey and notes how the fact that the building is octagonal means that the place is holy. The reason why Adso says this is because in the Christian faith, the number eight is usually used to make reference to harmony and balance. It is also used as a number to suggest perfection. The number is significant for Adso who is a religious man and who is used with finding meaning in everything.
The Judgement day is approaching
A common motif in the novel is the fact that Jorge, the oldest monk in the abbey, frequently interrupts conversations he considers as being dangerous by claiming that the world is ending and that they do not have time to talk about unimportant things and subjects. This is a common motif in the novel and appears on numerous occasions.
Jesus never expressed his joy
Another common motif in the novel is the idea that Jesus never laugh during his lifetime. One of the people who believe this idea is the old monk in the abbey, Jorge and when William tries to convince him otherwise, he refuses to listen. Their argument is a common motif in the novel.
Women are dangerous
In the novel, no female characters appear. The only female characters who are mentioned are either the Virgin Mary or a martyr, or a woman who was killed for heresy and for witchcraft. Many of the monks in the abbey refuse to see women as positive characters and chose instead to see them as characters who are able to influence negatively everyone around them. Because of this, women are portrayed in a negative manner and the idea that they are dangerous is a common motif in the novel.
Jesus owned no property
Another common motif in the novel is the idea that Jesus owned no property. This idea is promoted by some characters in the novel who claim that Jesus was a simple man who did not had any earthly goods. What is more, his disciples had no goods of their own either and thus it is logical to believe that those who follow his teachings should follow his example as well and avoid falling into a trap where they desire earthly goods. This idea is a common motif in the novel and is also one of the reasons why there are disputes among the characters in the book.
