The Berlin Stories Literary Elements

a collection of stories, historical fiction

Berlin, 1930s as the Nazi Party is gaining power

Narrator: the author himself
Point of view: first person

Tone: contemplative;
Mood: anxious, morose

Protagonist: "The Last of Mr. Norris" has the main protagonist Mr. Norris, an eccentric individual who often finds himself in suspicious business; Antagonist: the Nazi Party coming to power and installing fear and hatred.

On the train to Berlin, the narrator gets acquainted with the eccentric Mr. Norris and can't help but want to know more about him. This is the beginning of their eccentric friendship and adventures.

The last William hears from Mr. Norris is a letter in which he asks himself what he's done to deserve his fate of constantly being on the run from Secretary Schmidt.

"Auf Wiedersehen, my dear boy. Auf Wiedersehen. I won't say goodbye because I hope that we shall be seeing each other in the very near future."-Mr. Norris on his first encounter with William foreshadows their upcoming friendship and eccentric adventures.

"He was such a great strong man. He nearly killed me."-"The Nowaks", a woman in a hospital talking about her husband who beat her with affection.

"Have you read Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne.?"

Imagery of Berlin's nightlife atmosphere with the slow build up of tension and fear from the politics induced conflicts and hatred.

"Do you still care for him?" "No... I don't know. Perhaps... I still hate him, sometimes--if that's a sign of caring." -"On Ruecen Island", Peter talking about Otto.

"Berlin is a city with two centres--the cluster of expensive hotels, bars, cinemas, shops round the Memorial Church, a sparkling nucleus of light, like a sham diamond, in the shabby twilight of the town, and self-conscious civic centre of buildings round the Unter den Linden, carefully arranged." -"A Berlin Diary"

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"Berlin is a skeleton which aches in the cold: it is my own skeleton aching." -"A Berlin Diary"