Genre
Contemporary narrative nonfiction
Setting and Context
Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2002
Narrator and Point of View
The book is written from the first-person perspective of John D'Agata, the author, who is recounting his experiences in Las Vegas more or less as they happened in real life.
Tone and Mood
Unbiased, straightforward, realistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
D'Agata portrays the suffering people of Las Vegas as the protagonists of this essay, attempting to survive and avoid peril at the hands of the antagonists, those who would turn Yucca Mountain into a dangerous nuclear dumping ground.
Major Conflict
The Yucca Mountain Project proposes the transformation of Yucca Mountain, which lies near Las Vegas, into a large-scale repository for radioactive nuclear waste. The proponents claim that the project is safe, but D'Agata's research indicates otherwise. D'Agata is attempting to inform the public about the situation in Las Vegas, one that could go well or poorly.
Climax
D'Agata's description of the plight of Las Vegas culminates in the final chapter, in which he describes in detail the last day of Levi Presley, a sixteen-year-old boy who kills himself by jumping off a tall building. This climax emphasizes the depressed nature of the inhabitants of Las Vegas as well as the social atmosphere of the declining city.
Foreshadowing
The last line of the first chapter, "Who," is this: "... the dream that if we linger long enough with anything, the truth of its significance is bound to be revealed." This quote foreshadows the rest of the novel, where D'Agata retrospectively examines his time in Las Vegas in order to tease out the truth of the significance of his findings.
Understatement
“I’ll be honest with ya, right? It won’t be like this every day that you’re living in Las Vegas.” - Ethan the broker ("WHAT")
Allusions
This book alludes to many real-life events and people, the most notable of which is the Yucca Mountain Project, which is the basis of the book. Other people and things referenced include Senator Harry Reid, Edward Abbey, Robert Fri, the Shoshone people, places in Las Vegas, and many others.
Imagery
Las Vegas is often called "Sin City," and the author does not shy away from the seedier parts of the city in his book. He references the many strip clubs and casinos in the area, as well as referencing the city's temporary ban on lap dancing and the nickname of a particular neighborhood ("Naked City"). He also describes instances where crude and profane graffiti adorns broken neon signs, and women in bikinis stand around and hire themselves out to boost the atmosphere of social events.
Paradox
The scientific studies used to justify the utilization of Yucca Mountain as a suitable dumping ground were faked and/or fudged in order to fit the adjusted standards of the Department of Energy. Paradoxically, this defeats the purpose of the studies in the first place - there was no way to prove that the mountain was unsuitable anyway.
Parallelism
The ugliness of the Yucca Mountain Project parallels the ugliness of the mountain itself. It is squat and unpleasant to look at, just like the nuclear dumping project is unpleasant to think about but a relentlessly existent fact of life anyway.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“An Elvis showed up briefly.”
"Elvis" is an example of metonymy; it represents the phrase "Elvis impersonator."
Personification
“Above the park on two white poles two banners stretched and waved: 'SUMMERLIN NUMBER ONE!'” ("WHAT")
