Genre
Drama; thriller
Setting and Context
Brooklyn in 1947
Narrator and Point of View
There isn't a narrator, instead the story is told from a third-person perspective predominantly through the images on screen.
Tone and Mood
The tone is tense; the mood is dramatic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Michael is the protagonist; the unwelcoming world is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the film occurs when Michael sees a Jewish shopkeeper being brutally attacked by an Irish gang at the age of 11.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Michael builds up a close relationship with his local Rabbi and views him as a father figure.
Foreshadowing
The brutality that Michael witnesses is foreshadowed by the violent neighborhood that he lives in.
Understatement
The importance of protecting your moral beliefs is understated throughout the film.
Allusions
The story alludes to what life growing up in Brooklyn was like at the time.
Imagery
The imagery of violent gang activity is present in the film.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the strength Michael has to stand up against the Irish gang and the guidance he has been given growing up.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The violence of Brooklyn is personified through the shattering of the shop windows.
