Genre
Novel
Setting and Context
Set in Birmingham, England
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Sad and pessimistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
The main character is Ben Trotter.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is when Trotter questions humanity after the bomb kills his brother.
Climax
The climax comes when Philip discovers that his art teacher is sexually pursuing his mother.
Foreshadowing
The disruption of Trotter’s dream of becoming a top student and future novelist is foreshadowed by the abrupt death of his brother by a bomb.
Understatement
The impact of social injustice in society is understated. For instance, no one cares to come to Richard's aid when he faces social injustice.
Allusions
The story alludes to daily life experiences in Birmingham, England.
Imagery
The description of colors depicts sight imagery. The author writes, "The tables in which their faces were dimly reflected were dark brown, the darkest brown, the color of Bournville chocolate.”
Paradox
The main paradox is that Trotter lives in a world that defines his destiny, unlike his expectations.
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The bomb is personified as vicious.
