Genre
Historical
Setting and Context
New York City in the 19th century
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is reflective; the mood is intriguing.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Martin Dressler is the protagonist; the American Dream is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Martin starts a new job working as a bellboy for the Vanderlyn Hotel in New York.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Martin refuses an offer for Assistant Manager and instead begins to run his own chain of restaurants.
Foreshadowing
The breakdown of Martin's marriage is foreshadowed by the fact that he spends little time with Caroline.
Understatement
The importance of pursuing dreams is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the empty feeling that is often left behind after failure.
Imagery
The imagery of entrepreneurial success is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Martin becomes close to his wife's sister is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the characters presented in the novel and the real-life Martin Dressler.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
