The Rosie Project Literary Elements

Fiction

Australia, Present Day (2000s)

Don Tillman narrates the novel in the first person (using "I," "my," etc.). Readers have access to Don's inner thoughts and feelings.

The tone of the novel is often perplexed, thoughtful, and analytical, since the novel is presented from Don's point of view and he is an extremely analytical and rational person. The curious and perplexed tone is generated by Don observing the discrepancies between how he sees the world, and how he notices other people behaving. The mood of the novel is often tender and heartwarming as readers get to see Don and Rosie gradually fall in love, showing Don as a charming and compelling character.

Don is the protagonist; there is no specific antagonist, although Don is sometimes pitted against the Dean and briefly against Stefan (as a romantic rival for Rosie's affections)

The major conflict is between Don and Rosie when they both start to develop romantic feelings for one another but become confused and frustrated because Don cannot understand what is happening. The conflict almost leads to Rosie and Don severing contact with one another.

The climax occurs when Don proposes to Rosie and she agrees to marry him, realizing that he does actually love her even if he expresses that love differently from how many people might.

The scene where Don gives a lecture on Asberger's Syndrome foreshadows his experience as a neuro-atypical individual. It also highlights his tendency to create chaotic situations but to ultimately help and inspire people.

Don says that he likes his environment to be controlled, which is a huge understatement as he likes every aspect of his environment to be exactly the same as it was the day before.

Don alludes to the popular romantic movie "When Harry Met Sally" not just with regard to the movie itself but also in reference to the deli in New York where the most famous scene from the movie was filmed. As Don tries to understand the experience of being in love, he also watches many famous romantic comedies.

See the separate "Imagery" section of this ClassicNote.

Rosie is the opposite of the woman his Wife Project questionnaire would suggest that Don wants, yet she is the only woman with whom he falls in love.

There is a parallel between Don's search for the unattainable wife and Rosie's search for the unattainable father.

The university is used to encompass all of the people who are working or studying within it.

Don says that New York is deliberately making him a different person, which gives a city the ability to do something on purpose and with intent.