Genre
Short stories collection
Setting and Context
The book was written in the context of reflection and writing career path.
Narrator and Point of View
First-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Opportunistic, hopeful, inspiring
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is a young Bosnian writer.
Major Conflict
The conflict is that Macalister took advantage of the lunch meeting to write a novel and quote the exact words used on the lunch meeting, which angers the young Bosnian. Consequently, Macalister negatively portrayed the luncheon.
Climax
The climax comes when the poet decides to remain in Sarajevo to manuscript the war events despite the risks before him.
Foreshadowing
The invitation of the Bosnian writer to the part to honour a novelist foreshadowed his close relationship with Macalester.
Understatement
Friendship is understated in the text. For instance, Macalester takes advantage of the friendship with a Bosnian writer to write another novel while quoting the exact words used in the lunch meeting, which is annoying.
Allusions
The stories allude to the lives of writers with a reflection of the author’s journey in writing.
Imagery
The author depicts smell imagery by describing the scene in which a Sarajevo man slept. The narrator says, "When I woke up, they were gone, leaving the stench of sweaty mindlessness behind.”
Paradox
The major paradox is that Macalister is ungrateful. Bosnia invites Macalister to his parent's home. Ironically, Macalister is keen on every word spoken, and he later documents a book with the exact words said in that lunch. Consequently, Bosnia feels that his friend is an ungrateful traitor.
Parallelism
Macalister’s intention at Bosnia’s parents’ home meeting parallels the expectations of Bosnia.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The ‘tremulous lightwake' is metonymy referring to the beauty of the moon.
Personification
N/A
