Genre
Historical fiction
Setting and Context
Set in the 14th century in Vijayanagar, the fictional capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator is Pampa, and she tells the story in the first-person point of view.
Tone and Mood
The tone is humorous, and the mood is optimistic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Pampa Kampana, and the antagonist is the rival kingdom.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is between the Vijayanagara Empire and the rival kingdom, which causes the destruction of property and property death.
Climax
The climax comes when the goddess and Pampa successfully rebuild Bisnaga (Victory City).
Foreshadowing
The death of Pampa’s mother foreshadows her power and influence. When the mother dies, the goddess takes over Pampa’s body and gives her the authority to help her rule the kingdom.
Understatement
n/a
Allusions
The story alludes to globalization and women's empowerment in society in the contemporary world.
Imagery
Pampa’s conceptualization of a new city is described using sight imagery. Pampa says, "Suppose you had a sackful of seeds…Then suppose you could plant them and grow a city, and grow its inhabitants too as if people were plants... Suppose now that the seeds could grow generations and bring forth a history, a new reality and an empire." The imagery is significant because it shows Pampa's plan to create a prosperous city.
Paradox
When Pampa's mother died, people thought she would suffer and live a miserable life. Paradoxically, Pampa ends up becoming influential, powerful and wealthy.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between the goddess's assertion that women must be treated equally to men and Pampa's decision to undertake the assignment.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
Cobra is personified as a rival ruler who causes instability in other kingdoms.
