Genre
Satirical fiction
Setting and Context
Los Angeles in the present day
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, first-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is witty; the mood is bleak.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The narrator is the protagonist; Foy is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when the unnamed narrator or 'Me' begins to grow both marijuana as well as watermelons.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when the police give the narrator the settlement money, as suddenly his view on life changes.
Foreshadowing
The comedy used in the book is foreshadowed by the bleak topic being discussed.
Understatement
The role of race in modern America is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the daily life of a marijuana grower and the threats experienced.
Imagery
The imagery of abundant, growing plants is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that the narrator wishes to avoid the police, yet gets involved in illegal activity is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the narrator's love for growing weed and his love for Marpessa.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
