Genre
Historical fiction
Setting and Context
County Cork in 1921
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is upsetting; the mood is grim.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Lucy is the protagonist; the arsonists are the antagonists.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Lucy's family plan to leave Ireland and move to England during the Irish War of Independence.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Lucy hides in the nearby woods on the evening before they leave and her family believe that she has drowned instead.
Foreshadowing
The finding of Lucy is foreshadowed by the kind-hearted farmer that searches for her.
Understatement
The importance of honesty during conflict is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the harsh realities of life during the Irish War of Independence.
Imagery
The imagery of violent fighting is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Lucy's family wish to move to a safer location, yet leave her behind is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the lonely life that Lucy leads and the fact that her family abandoned her as a child.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
