Genre
Fiction; novel
Setting and Context
The White House in the 1850s.
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is hopeful; the mood is optimistic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Clotel is the protagonist; racism is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Currer gives birth to Clotel, who is fathered by the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Jefferson dies and the family's easy life stops.
Foreshadowing
The hardships faced by Currer and her daughters is foreshadowed by the fact that they are mixed-race.
Understatement
The role of childhood is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the secret life of Jefferson's daughter, Clotel.
Imagery
The imagery of a nurturing family is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Thomas Jefferson was the president. yet made questionable relationship decisions is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the tragedies present in the novel and the author's desire to expose racism.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
