Genre
Novel
Setting and Context
The book was written in the mid-20th century in Milan, Georgia.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Sad, ominous, cynical, fruitless
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Malone.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that Malone is diagnosed with leukemia. Additionally, his medical school is failing. The worst is that he only has one year to live.
Climax
The climax is when Malone dies peacefully beside his wife and leaves the challenges of this world behind.
Foreshadowing
The rampant racism foreshadows the death of Sherman in the white-dominated areas.
Understatement
Racism is understated in the text. Besides the whites avoiding the black people like the plague, they also treated them with contempt.
Allusions
The story alludes to segregation in America and its impact on black people.
Imagery
Smell imagery is depicted when the author writes, “A fly puzzled in the sterile, a dreamy room and there was the lingering smell either.” The smell confirms to readers that Malone’s health is getting worse.
Paradox
The main paradox is that most of the characters are wealthy, but they are evil. The satire is that Malone is the only character who has good morals in society.
Parallelism
Malone's life and behaviour parallel Judge Fox Clane, who is a racist.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Wealth is personified as evil.
