The Elegance of the Hedgehog Literary Elements

A novel

2005, 7 Rue de Grenelle street, Paris

We see the first-person narration, but there are in fact two narrators: the girl and the woman. This split helps the author to show two souls, two worlds simultaneously.

The narration is neutral and quiet, but it doesn’t allow the reader to be bored.

The protagonists of the story are Renee, Paloma and Kakuro, and the antagonists are all the others. The protagonists are “natural,” sincere people, while the others play roles that do not align with their real lives.

The major conflicts take place in Paloma’s and Renee’s hearts; they are very smart and intelligent, but they always try to pretend to be not so.

The most intense point of the story takes place when Kakuro moves in the house. He changes the measured way of life there, changes the destinies of the protagonists of the novel.

The author shows us the real values of life, and tries to warn the reader not to show off and to be genuine in temperament.

The author uses this method in Renee’s and Paloma’s attempts to seem less intelligent than they are in reality.

Barbery alludes to the Apple of Eden when telling about Renee’s thoughts about some philosophical phenomena: “When man bites into the fruit, at last he understands. What does he understand? Everything.”

The method is widely used in descriptions of appearances, weather, and even philosophical phenomenon.

The author uses paradox in depicting Renee. She is just a concierge, but her inner world, her knowledge does not fit with her way of life at all.

This method is used in the two-sided narration: the first side of the same plot is told by the girl from the rich family and the second by the concierge of the house where the girl lives.

The author often uses these methods, thus making the narrative more picturesque. For example, he uses “bakery consumption” instead of “slice of bread,” “the wide world” instead of “a shop."

N/A