Genre
Philosophical book
Setting and Context
The book is written in the context of philosophical reasoning.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person point of view
Tone and Mood
Sarcastic, metaphorical, skeptical, tragic
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonists are Austin, Poole and Wittgenstein.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of this book is that it disorients the reader’s comprehension of authenticity.
Climax
The climax is the harsh reality of Wittgenstein’s philosophy in later years which is completely the opposite of his initial works.
Foreshadowing
Wittgenstein’s aging foreshadows the complexity of his philosophical writings.
Understatement
The use of language is understated because it is meant for communication and is used in philosophical analysis.
Allusions
The story alludes to the meaning of language and its relation to philosophy.
Imagery
The imagery of Wittgenstein is evident in the text. For instance, Wittgenstein argues, “One human being can be a complete enigma to another. We learn this when we come into a strange country with entirely strange traditions; what is more, even given a mastery of the country's language. We do not understand the people.”
Paradox
The main paradox is that despite language being used by children, it is complex when analyzed from the philosophical perspective.
Parallelism
Cavell’s argument about language parallels Wittgenstein’s point of view.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Language is personified as a complex individual to comprehend in entirety.
