Genre
psychological fiction, war novel
Setting and Context
London during the Second World War
Narrator and Point of View
Narrator: omniscient:
Point of view: third person
Tone and Mood
Tone: indirect
Mood: gloomy, tense
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Stella; Antagonist: the circumstances of war, Harrison
Major Conflict
A widow called Stella is followed by a man called Harrison, who eagerly wants her attention. She discovers one night that he found out where she lives and invaded her home, threatening her with the information about her lover Robert and demanding to be her lover instead.
Climax
Robert dies after climbing the roof of Stella's apartment to escape the government spy, most likely Harrison, in apparent suicide. Finding Stella's place again after two years, Harrison alludes to him killing Robert. Their relationship is left open. Roderick finally arrived to Mount Morris to live there and Louie gave birth to a son from an extra-marital affair. Her husband died in war.
Foreshadowing
"I know you have been all by yourself in that house, but all the same I feel jealous, as though somehow you'd been spending your time with some sort of enemy of mine, or rival."
-Robert expressing his jealousy after Stella's visit to Mount Morris
The irony and foreshadowing is strong in these lines as Stella had in fact contemplated his suspicion of Robert while away from him. She did spend her time with the enemy because the entire country is the enemy to Robert who is a spy for the opposing side.
Understatement
"So you were writing away when poor Mr. Harrison came?"
-Roderick asks his mother about her lack of hospitality towards Harrison, not knowing the truth behind his visit.
Allusions
The entire novel is an allusion to the air raids of London during the Second World War.
Imagery
Visual imagery of London in the time of fear of war is present throughout.
"Muteness was falling on London with uneasy dark; here and there stood a figure watchfully in a doorway..."
Paradox
"A silence, more than a sound, made her turn round quickly--Mrs. Kelway, in one hand holding her knitting, had already risen out of her chair."
-Context: Stella's less than comfortable visitation to Robert's family
Parallelism
"In that September transparency people became transparent..."
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
"Inside it the senses were cut off from hour and season; nothing spoke but the clock."
