Genre
Fantasy
Setting and Context
The United Kingdom, in the 1970s.
Narrator and Point of View
Merlin narrates the story in the first-person.
Tone and Mood
The tone is wonderful; the mood is mystical.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Merlin is the protagonist; the harsh elements is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Merlin first begins to be abused as he is very small for a child of his age; he is neglected.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Vortigen intends to sacrifice Merlin as a way of building the castle that he desires.
Foreshadowing
The invasion of Ambrosius is foreshadowed by the calling that Merlin issues.
Understatement
The role of the devil is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the power of magic and the fear surrounding it.
Imagery
The imagery of mystical beasts is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Merlin is seen as weak, and yet is very strong is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The defeated beast is a metonym for the people that neglected Merlin as a child.
Personification
N/A
