Genre
Play
Language
English
Setting and Context
Set in 1974 on a summer night in Hampstead, North West London
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Humorous and optimistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Hirst and the antagonist is Spooner.
Major Conflict
There is a conflict between Spooner and the two young men entering the room after Hirst walks out. The two young men, Foster and Briggs, demand to know Spooner's identity, but he refuses to identify himself. The two young men are not comfortable with a stranger in their master’s room, but they decide to let him stay after he refuses to talk.
Climax
The climax comes when Hirst re-enters the room to join Spooner, Briggs, and Foster in the drinking spree. Hirst is drunk and introduces an interesting topic where he says that the only people he recognizes are in the album he is holding.
Foreshadowing
Foster's acceptance to work for Hirst foreshadowed his success in poetry in the later years.
Understatement
Spooner understates the influence of Hirst. Later, Spooner is shocked to confirm that Hirst is a famous and influential poet.
Allusions
N/A
Imagery
Sight imagery is depicted when the author describes the play's room. The room has three chairs, two made of wood, freestanding lamps, and a small table. The third chair is luxurious, symbolizing Hirst's opulence.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Hirst finds a stranger in the bar and brings him home to treat him like a relative, not knowing what he can do to him.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between Foster's line when he says he chose to work for Hirst and his confirmation that he enjoys his job.
Personification
Alcoholism is personified as being humorous.
Use of Dramatic Devices
N/A
