What are the motifs in Miguel Street by V.S. Naipaul?

A recurring idea of Miguel Street is the theme of shattered dreams. It is the theme of nearly every short story or episode in the book. Each character usually has some goal of becoming rich, famous, respected, beloved, excellent in a craft or art, successful in their social relationships (like marriage, fatherhood, motherhood) and yet all fail and sometimes fail repeatedly. One tragic case is that of Elias. He grows up being heavily and regularly beaten by his father, George. He is bound and determined not to live the same sort of life and starts studying hard at Titus Hoyt's school to pass the Cambridge Exam. If he passes, he would go on to qualify for high-paying jobs and make his way out of Miguel Street. However, he does not pass initially. Elias takes the test over and over and over again and either fails consistently or passes with a very low score. Afterwards Elias rounds down his dream of being a doctor to being a sanitation inspector but he fails in this endeavor as well.