Genre
Novel; fiction
Setting and Context
New York City in the 20th century
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is sad; the mood is hopeful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Asher Lev is the protagonist; anti-semitism is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Asher's gifted artistic abilities are in contest with his members of the Jewish community that he belongs to.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Asher's mother becomes depressed after her brother is sadly and tragically killed.
Foreshadowing
Asher's refusal to move to Vienna is foreshadowed by the fact that he has grown up loving New York.
Understatement
The importance of parental figures is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the maturing of Asher Lev as a Jewish artist.
Imagery
The imagery of Asher's beautiful art is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Asher's father moves to Vienna, while his mother stays in New York is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Asher's paintbrush is a metonym for his talent and freedom.
Personification
N/A
