Genre
Fantasy
Setting and Context
1900, in the Great Smoky Mountains
Narrator and Point of View
Third Person Point of View
Tone and Mood
Magical,
Protagonist and Antagonist
Willa is the protagonist; humans are the antagonists
Major Conflict
The major conflict in the novel revolves initially around Willa and the humans; however, it shifts to Willa's struggle to adapt to the changing conditions around her.
Climax
When Willa makes her decision on whether or not she should stand up and start to fight with what she believes in.
Foreshadowing
Willa's decision is foreshadowed by her interactions with humans, particularly the interaction in which a man helps her recover from her injury.
Understatement
At the start of the novel, Willa's maturity is understated. Although she is clearly advanced for her age, readers never see just how mature she is.
Allusions
to history, to geography, to mythology, to the Bible, and to other media
Imagery
Beatty draws a rich and deep image of the forests that Willa and her people live in to emphasize how alive their home is.
Paradox
Willa is a small child, yet she is a brilliant thief who is tasked with stealing from humans - a very dangerous job generally only suitable for adults
Parallelism
The padaran and loggers and developers' stories are paralleled with each other.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The woods that this novel take place in are often personified and seem to be like a living, breathing person.
