Genre
Novel; fiction
Setting and Context
New Orleans in 1907
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is sad; the mood is nonetheless hopeful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Buddy Bolden is the protagonist; the photographer is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Bolden's jazz music starts to become more controversial just as his behavior does as well.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Bellocq is introduced to Bolden and begins to document the breaking of his sanity.
Foreshadowing
The self-destruction of Bolden is foreshadowed by his music.
Understatement
The way music affects our brains is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the life of jazz artist Buddy Bolden in 1907.
Imagery
The imagery of beautiful jazz music is present in the novel.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the structure of the novel and the jazz music that Bolden plays.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Bolden's mental state is personified through the music he plays.
