Genre
Fiction
Setting and Context
This novel is first set during the 19th Century in America, then progresses to the modern day.
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is written from the perspective of a third-person narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the novel is despondent.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist of the novel is Marie Ursule, and the antagonists are her captors.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of this novel is the exploration of the repercussions of slavery.
Climax
One of the novel's climaxes is Marie Ursule's protest.
Foreshadowing
The opening line of the text foreshadows Marie Ursule's plan for mass suicide:
"Marie Ursule woke up this morning knowing what morning it was and that it might be her last."
Understatement
Brand suggests that the repercussions of slavery are understated. In this novel, she shows how the consequences of slavery are felt generations afterward.
Allusions
N/A
Imagery
Imagery is used to describe Marie Ursule's surroundings: "She looked over the ranges of cocoa trees, their green and red leaves young and old with longing."
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
Marie Ursule's experiences are paralleled with the experiences of her descendants, showing how the past informs the present.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"Heart" is used as a metonym for emotion.
Personification
The morning is personified in the following passage: "She heard the morning coming, its uptake of breath."
