Genre
Contemporary novel
Setting and Context
Written in the context of social menaces in the U.S.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Sad, optimistic, overwhelming,
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Henry.
Major Conflict
Henry is a single father, unemployed, and homeless. Together with his son, Henry lives in his pickup truck, hoping that things will get better, but unfortunately, he realizes that the American dream is for the chosen few.
Climax
The climax comes when Henry realizes that life has become unbearable because he cannot even afford the smallest thing in Walmart despite the massive drop in prices.
Foreshadowing
The wasted opportunities foreshadow Henry's tribulations in life while he was in prison, wrongly fighting for his father's insurance benefits.
Understatement
Poverty in the United States of America is understated. Henry's life paints a clear picture that the American dream is a fallacy because only a few people live luxuriously.
Allusions
The story alludes to the challenges facing the low-class people in the United States of America.
Imagery
The images of poverty and suffering dominate the book, which helps readers to understand that the American dream is not for everyone.
Paradox
The main paradox is when Henry walks into Walmart and realizes that the prices of all products have significantly reduced. Ironically, Henry only has 38 cents, and he cannot afford anything despite the massive price reductions.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between the struggles of immigrants and daily life in the United States of America.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
