Genre
Young Adult
Setting and Context
It is set in a fictional town in Pennsylvania.
Narrator and Point of View
The novel utilizes multiple narrators and points of view to tell the story.
Tone and Mood
The tone is dark, introspective, and thought-provoking. The mood of the novel is evocative and contemplative.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonists are the five cousins including The Freak, The Shoveler, CanIHelpYou, First-Class Malcolm, and Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress. The antagonists are systemic racism, social class divides, and the weight of generational trauma.
Major Conflict
The major conflict centers on the Hemmings family's web of secrets and the cost of maintaining their respectability. This conflict is rooted in the disparity between the family's outward appearance of wealth and the hidden dysfunction beneath the surface. The family has amassed significant wealth but they refuse to pass it on to their descendants. Hence, the conflict arises as the grandchildren begin to reconnect uncovering the secrets within the family.
Climax
The climax occurs when the five grandchildren come together.
Foreshadowing
The character known as The Shovele" carries a snow shovel everywhere they go, which foreshadows the theme of digging and the burden associated with it. It foreshadows the revelation of the family's task of digging the dead body.
Understatement
“Everyone has problems.”
CanIHelpYou downplays the significance of the issues that others may be facing.
Allusions
The allusion to "Call of Duty" in the narrative refers to a popular video game franchise known for its first-person shooter gameplay. The mention of "Call of Duty" in the context of the party suggests that playing the game is a central activity at the gathering.
Imagery
“The shoveler is shoveling over by the fountain, his shovel bucket a centimeter off the ground, like a mime with a prop. When I turn my attention to Ian again, he’s already put the tiny piece of gel acid into his mouth and he’s handing me mine with his other hand. I take it. Look at it. A tiny green pyramid. I wonder what the billboards under the owl’s wings will say tonight.”
When describing the dream, the protagonist explains that when the owl spread its wings there are billboards inside. This passage highlights the imagery in the vivid dreams that The Shoveler has.
Paradox
The paradox is in the Hemmings family's pursuit of wealth at the expense of their happiness and well-being.
Parallelism
The family's dysfunctional dynamics are paralleled by the experiences of each member through narration and perspective.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"Glasses" is used as a synecdoche for spectacles.
Personification
“The leaves may love seeing the sun, but the tubers need the dark.”
The author attributes human-like characteristics to the plant and its parts.
