Genre
Folklore
Setting and Context
Set in Massachusetts, United States of America, in 1871 at an all-girls' newly built boarding school.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
The tone is admonitory, and the mood is gloomy because Caroline’s mother dies strangely. In addition, a strange disease attacks the girls in the boarding school.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Carline, and the Antagonist is David.
Major Conflict
There is a conflict between the girls in the school and Samuel’s decision to offer a wrong diagnosis because they are dissatisfied.
Climax
The construction of the girls’ boarding school is the climax because it enables Samuel to actualize his dream of empowering women in society.
Foreshadowing
Samuel understates the implication of the appearance of the bloody birds because he assumes that they are harmless.
Understatement
n/a
Allusions
The story alludes to historical narratives in which birds were agents of communication and giving warning signs.
Imagery
The description of the bloody birds paints a picture of horror and bad luck.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Samuel intentionally ignores the warning of the bloody birds.
Parallelism
Caroline's assertion about the birds parallels the cause of her mother's death.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
The birds are personified when Caroline says they sing sorrowful melodies.
