Genre
Fiction
Setting and Context
The novel is set in the 1990s in Naples.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
The tone is accusatory, and the mood is humorous.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central protagonist is the 13-year-old Giovanna, and the antagonist is her father.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is between Giovanna and her father, who says she is ugly.
Climax
The climax comes when Rosario takes Giovanna’s virginity.
Foreshadowing
Giovanna’s falling out of school is foreshadowed by her parent’s conversation that she is ugly.
Understatement
There is an understatement when Giovanna fools around with rude boys.
Allusions
n/a
Imagery
The description of Giovanna becoming a holy girl depicts the sense of sight. The author describes how she reads the bible, sings, and attends church.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Giovanna’s parents cheat on each other.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between Giovanna's thoughts of having sex with Roberto and his suggestion that she joins him in his bed after she arrives.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
The bracelet is personified when Giovanna says it intentionally decides to disappear.
