Genre
Young Adult Novel
Setting and Context
The book is written in the context of adolescent life.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Hilarious, intriguing, optimistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Fatima Moss
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that cancer is at the center stage of the characters' families, becoming havoc. For instance, Jasmine is suffering from sickle cell anemia, while the parents of the bull groups all have cancer.
Climax
The climax comes when the bully groups steal ice creams for Bit's mother, who has just finished chemotherapy.
Foreshadowing
The encounter between Fatima Moss and a joyful woman foreshadowed the positive change that made her think about what she could do to improve the world before she died.
Understatement
The meaning of life is understated in the text. For instance, being a foster child, TJ finds life difficult. Similarly, Jasmine struggles with cancer. However, life is not about pleasure, but also suffering is part of it.
Allusions
The story alludes to the meaning of life, which both entails happiness, sadness and struggle.
Imagery
'Looking Both Ways' depicts sight imagery because it encourages readers to visualize whatever they read from both perspectives. 'Looking Both Ways' is derived from the advice given to children to look at the two sides of the road before crossing. However, the deeper imagery is that readers are encouraged to be critical and observant.
Paradox
The main paradox is that most characters conclude that life is meaningless because of their pains. Ironically, life is not all about pleasure, but also suffering is part of it.
Parallelism
The bonding between Jasmine and TJ parallels the intention s of the bully group that is more engaged in stealing.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Cancer is embodied as an ogre that wants to destroy humanity.
