Genre
Novella, Science Fiction, Mathematical Fiction
Setting and Context
The novel is set mostly in a two-dimensional world named Flatland.
Narrator and Point of View
It is narrated in first-person from the point of view of the Square.
Tone and Mood
Existential, Critical, Satirical, Skeptical
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist in the novella is the Square while the antagonists are the monarchs from the dimensions who disregard his insight.
Major Conflict
The Square has discovered the existence of three other dimensions namely Pointland, Lineland, and Spaceland with the aid of the Sphere. Though they attempt to enlighten Flatland and other lower dimensions of the new perspectives their efforts fall short.
Climax
The climax occurs when the Square attempts to convince the inhabitant of Pointland of other dimensions but is unable to conceive the idea.
Foreshadowing
A Square dreams of Lineland before the Sphere visits him which foreshadows his disbelief of Spaceland akin to the monarch from his vision.
Understatement
In the opening line of the narrative, the narrator understates the aspects of his dimension to give a better perspective.
“I call our world Flatland, not because we call it so, but to make its nature clearer to you…”
Allusions
The novel is a critique and commentary on Victorian society and morality. Through a mathematical approach, the author highlights the gender inequality in Flatland mirroring the patriarchal dynamic in the Victorian Era. Their moral views – though chauvinistic – create the basis of their society with utter disregard of the consequences on the masses.
Imagery
A Square describes the geometrical setup of their dimension, Flatland, creating vivid imagery of their existence.
“Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it, very much like shadows—only hard with luminous edges—and you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen.”
Paradox
Though the Sphere introduces the Square to other dimensions including his own, he is reluctant to accept that a higher fourth dimension might exist.
Parallelism
Though the four dimensions possess different spatial qualities and paradigms their inhabitants exhibit the same ignorance towards a higher dimension.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The characters are geometrical shapes and patterns personified into entities with human qualities.
