Genre
American History
Setting and Context
Missouri, during the 1850s
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator is the author of the book. The story of Celia is told partly from her point of view and partly from an objective standpoint that tells both sides of the story of the then-political climate.
Tone and Mood
The tone is one filled with injustices. The mood is dissent-filled and there is an undercurrent of bubbling violence.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Celia is the protagonist, Robert Newsom the antagonist.
Major Conflict
There is conflict between those who are pro-slavery and the abolitionists who want slavery abolished throughout the Union.
Climax
Celia is hanged for killing Newsom.
Foreshadowing
The fact that the Supreme Court do not uphold Jameson's appeal foreshadows Celia's execution.
Understatement
N/A
Allusions
The book is historical and such does not allude to anything, but does tell the reader of many cases of conflict between the pro and anti slavery movements.
Imagery
The imagery of the book is quite bloody and violent. There are many descriptions of riots with equally vociferous opposing sides and it is easy for the reader to imagine the sounds and the visual images of the time.
Paradox
Virginia and Mary know that their father is raping a teenage girl but still consider her to be a seductress and blame her for the rapes.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the way in which Virginia and Mary view Celia and the way in which George does; he considers that his girlfriend is having an affair with Newsom rather than considering the farmer a rapist.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"Slaves" is the term for all of those persons owned at the time. Their names were barely mentioned.
Personification
N/A
