Genre
Historical fiction
Setting and Context
Ontario in the 19th century
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is exciting; the mood is tense.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Joseph is the protagonist; Father Gsitr is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Joseph reflects on his life growing up in Ontario and the comparison with the lives of his grandchildren.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Tilman decides to leave the family home for good, after running away continuously.
Foreshadowing
The skills that Klara learns are foreshadowed by her patient mother.
Understatement
The role that our childhood plays in later life is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the differences between society before WW1 and after it.
Imagery
The imagery of rural Canada and its beautiful mountains is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Becker tries to be close with his grandson, yet manages to push him away is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the love that Klara has for Eamon and the sadness that she feels when he is missing in action in the war.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
