Genre
Short stories
Setting and Context
Nineteenth-century England
Narrator and Point of View
The stories are written from the third-person point of view and told by an omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
“Alicia’s Diary” and “A Committee-Man of 'The Terror'” have a peculiar dark mood while the narrator’s tone is contemplative. “Absent-Mindedness in a Parish Choir” has frivolous mood and the narrator’s tone is mirthful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Each story has its protagonist and antagonist: The music band is both the protagonist and the antagonist in “Absent-Mindedness in a Parish Choir”. Alicia is the protagonist of “Alicia’s Diary”. Mademoiselle V is the protagonist of “A Committee-Man of 'The Terror'”.
Major Conflict
Person vs self is the main conflict in the stories.
Climax
An incorrectly chosen song that interrupted Christmas service becomes the climax of “Absent-Mindedness in a Parish Choir”.
Charles’ death is the climax of “Alicia’s Diary”.
Mademoiselle V’s discovery of her betrothed’s goodbye letter is the climax of “A Committee-Man of 'The Terror'”.
Foreshadowing
“It happened on Sunday after Christmas—the last Sunday they ever played in Longpuddle church gallery, as it turned out, though they didn't know it then”. (“Absent-Mindedness in a Parish Choir”)
It is clear that something strange has happened, but what it was, readers are going to learn later.
Understatement
“M. de la Feste does certainly seem to be all that one could desire as protector to a sensitive fragile child like Caroline, and for that I am thankful”. (“Alicia’s Diary”)
Alicia thinks of her sister as a child, but the truth is that she is a grownup woman who can take care of herself.
Allusions
“A Committee-Man of 'The Terror'” alludes to the French Revolution.
Imagery
Images of characters and nature are present in the stories.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
“How great he was; how small was she!” (“A Committee-Man of 'The Terror'”)
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“The house is in confusion”. (The house is synecdoche for it refers to people who live in it) (“Alicia’s Diary”)
“I do hope that my mother has an eye on these proceedings”. (An eye is metonymy that means attention). (“Alicia’s Diary”)
Personification
N/A
