I do not want to do this
One of the most common motifs which appear in the novel is Wanda's refusal to treat Severin as he wants her to. When Severing goes to Wanda for the first time, she outright refuses him. But, even after she accepts to take him as a slave, Wanda continues to treat Severin in an extremely degrading manner.
The slave garb
When Severin becomes Wanda's slave, the first thing he changes about himself is his clothes. Severin dresses in more modest and also well-worn clothes, to represent his newfound status. The clothes are also used here as a symbol, representing Severin's desire to be possessed by another person.
Florence as the place of freedom
Wanda and Severin travel together to Florence in an attempt to escape the judging society in which they lived. Both see Florence or rather Italy in general as the place where they can freely express their needs and their true self. Thus, in this context, Florence becomes used as a symbol of freedom.
I do not need her to love
Another common motif which we find in the novel is the idea articular by Severin time and time again. Severin claims numerous times that he is not interested in being loved by Wanda. From the beginning, he claims he only wants to be treated as a slave by her and have a woman by his side who can make him submissive. This argument is also used by Severin to make the rest if the people around him not worry about the relationship between the two.
The manuscript
The manuscript appears at the beginning of the novel and the author receives it from one of his good friends. The purpose of the manuscript is to help the narrator better understand how feelings and emotions. Thus, the manuscript is both a common motif, the narrator referring back to it throughout the novel, and also a symbol used to represent the value of knowledge.
