"When the Clock Strikes" and Other Works of Fiction Literary Elements

Dark Fairy Tale

The story is set in an unnamed city state. The plot partially takes place in the present and during the city's peak in glory 200 years prior.

The narrator is an unnamed citizen of the city who promises to entertain a visitor with a tale while they wait for their carriage. The story is primarily told in third person view with the narrator frequently interjecting their own commentary on the story.

The atmosphere of the story is dark and gloomy with a constant sense of dread.

The protagonist and antagonist of the story are interchangeable. The young witch Ashella who seeks revenge for her mother's murder (and to fulfil her mother's own revenge) is the seeming protagonist and the men who oppose her the apparent antagonists. However, she takes revenge by murdering the innocent and kind young duke of the story, and thus becoming the antagonist herself.

There are two major conflicts in the story. Firstly, there is the political conflict between the current duke's family and the former reigning family he murdered. Secondly, there is the conflict between those practising magic and those violently opposing it.

The climax of the story happens during the ball celebrating the young duke's birthday. After plotting and planning her revenge for many years, Ashella finally reveals herself to the world. She attends the ball and completely bewitches the duke at midnight. With each stroke, she further curses him, resulting in his complete madness at the last one.

The detailed description of the different faces of the clock foreshadows the climax of the story. At first, there is a young maiden, as Ashella is at the beginning. Later on is a lady and a sorcerer, just as Ashella turns into a beautiful witch, then a hag in front of the duke and finally Death.

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The narrator frequently alludes to the fairy tale the story is based on, Cinderella, without ever explicitly naming it. Instead, they comment on the differences the reader must notice between those two stories.

The most frequent image that is invoked in the reader is that of fire. Ashella is connected to fire in several instances, both in looks and personality. Her hair is a fierce shade of red, her eyes have a burning gaze in them, when she dances, she moves like flames.

There is a paradox in the circumstances under which Ashella's mother's witchcraft is discovered: the narrator states that for years, she stayed unnoticed in her dark practices. Finally, her husband begins to suspect the daughter and follows her, believing his wife to be completely innocent. After discovering their deeds however, the husband is quick to blame his wife and is easily convinced of the girl's innocence.

Ashella's curse of the young duke is an example:
"I curse you in my mother's name.
I curse you in my own name."

"And in the name of those that your father slew.
And in the name of my Master, who rules the world."

There are no instances of metonymy or synecdoche in the story.

The shadows and animals that help Ashella get ready for the ball are personified. They draw her a bath, help her set her hair, get dressed, put on jewelry and then become the coachmen for her carriage.