Genre
Academic nonfiction
Setting and Context
There is no setting as this is a nonfiction book
Narrator and Point of View
Barthes narrates the book in the third-person.
Tone and Mood
The tone is powerful; the mood is dramatic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Barthes is the protagonist; Balzac is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the book occurs when Barthes starts his detailed analysis of the short story Sarrasine.
Climax
The climax of the book is reached when Barthes begins his definition for what constitutes a network of space that the text uses.
Foreshadowing
The sequential use of codes is foreshadowed by the analytical nature of Barthes.
Understatement
The significance of multiple interpretations is understated throughout the book.
Allusions
The book alludes to uncovering the true meaning behind literary works.
Imagery
The imagery of detailed analysis is present in the novel.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
There is a parallel between Barthes' own beliefs and the arguments made in the book.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
As this is a nonfiction book, personification is not present.
