Genre
Fictional novel
Setting and Context
The action described in the story takes place in Benna's apartment over the course of a few days.
Narrator and Point of View
The action in the novel is told from the perspective of a third-person objective point of view.
Tone and Mood
The tone and mood in a tense one.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Benna and the antagonist is Eleanor.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is an internal one and is between Benna's desire to be normal and the need to follow her dreams.
Climax
The story reaches its climax when Benna decides to abort her baby.
Foreshadowing
At the beginning of the story, the narrator mentions how Benna has an imaginary friend. This foreshadows the later mental health problems Benna will have to deal with.
Understatement
When Benna claims she does not want children is an understatement because, after she aborts her child, she creates an imaginary one to replace the one that was aborted.
Allusions
One of the main allusions we find in the story is the idea that Eleanor is Benna's alter ego.
Imagery
N/A
Paradox
One of the most paradoxical ideas is that even though Benna does not want to be alone, she pushes away every person who gets close to her.
Parallelism
A parallel is drawn between Benna and Eleonor all throughout the novel. This parallel is an important one because it transmits the idea that Eleonor represents everything Benna wants to be.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The plumbing is used to represent the connection between Benna and Gerard.
Personification
We have a personification in the line "the water screamed in the middle of the night".
