Genre
Crime novel
Setting and Context
The novel is set in Los Angeles
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Sad, optimistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Ptolemy
Major Conflict
Ptolemy is aging and he is suffering from severe dementia which makes him helpless. Making matters worse, Ptolemy entirely depends on people who do not understand his needs.
Climax
The climax comes when Ptolemy takes an experimental drug and he recovers his memory. After regaining his memory, Ptolemy share important details about his treasures with Robyn. Later, Ptolemy dies a painful death.
Foreshadowing
Robyn’s appearance in Ptolemy’s life foreshadowed his temporary recovery and regaining of memory.
Understatement
Reggie’s death is understated because it is not a natural death. Ptolemy suspects that Reggie is killed by people who wanted to take his treasure.
Allusions
The story alludes to problems that faced slaves and how they overcame them
Imagery
The description of Ptolemy’s house and living conditions depict sight imagery.
Paradox
The main paradox is that a neighbor takes advantage of Ptolemy’s advancing age to rob him. Ptolemy knows, but there is nothing he can do.
Parallelism
There is parallelism between Reggie’s death motive and the actions of the neighbor who robs Ptolemy.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The experimental drug is embodied as the life giver of life.
