Genre
Fiction Novel
Setting and Context
Set in Woodrow Wilson School
Narrator and Point of View
A third-person narrative from the narrator's point of view
Tone and Mood
Humorous, sanguine, and informative
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Beth, and the antagonist is Imogene Herdman.
Major Conflict
There is a major conflict between Alice Wendleken and Imogene Herdman, who is taking her role to act as Mary in the Christmas Pageant.
Climax
The climax is when everyone accepts that they brought a positive change in the Christmas Pageant compared to previous years.
Foreshadowing
Alice’s tribulations are foreshadowed by the invasion of the Herdmans in the Christmas pageant.
Understatement
There is an understatement when the narrator says “The burning of the Shoemakers house by Herdmans’ was an accident.” The Herdsman’s are known as the most notorious and the worst kids in history. Therefore, they intentionally burned the snowmaker’s house.
Allusions
N/A
Imagery
When the churchwomen enter the bathroom, they realize it smells cigars immediately after one of the Herdman kids walks out. The sense of smell is depicted in this description to remind readers that Herdmans are smokers.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Herdmans' performance exceeds the expectations of many during the Christmas pageant. Despite knowing nothing about Christmas, they stage the best performance ever.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between the narrator's perception of the Herdmans and Alice's attitude.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The pet cat is personified as scary individual when the narrator say the cat has similar behavior as the six kids of Herdman.
