Genre
Novel
Setting and Context
The book is set in the context of love.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Romantic, humorous, optimistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Leopold (Leo) Gursky
Major Conflict
When Alma, Leo's girlfriend, is sent to the US while carrying his pregnancy, Leo gets confused. Leo and Alma have dated for ten years, but the intrusion of the Nazi regime interrupts their relationship. Leo escapes to the wilderness and goes to the US after three years to look for Alma. Satirically, Leo finds out that Alma got married to her manager.
Climax
The climax comes in the present time when Leo is an older man, and he sadly learns the death of Alma and his son.
Foreshadowing
Alma’s marriage to her manager in the USA was foreshadowed by the introduction of the Nazi regime that separated her from Leo.
Understatement
Loneliness is understated in the text. For instance, Leo remains single for the rest of his life after realizing that his love, Alma, married another man. After realizing that Alma and his son are dead, he falls into a deep depression.
Allusions
The story alludes to the strength of first love in relationships. Despite knowing that Alma is married, Leo never stopped loving her till his death.
Imagery
Sight imagery is depicted in two different ways in the text. Firstly, Leo describes the appearance of the sky, which aids readers to see the story's setting. Leo says, "Then one day I was looking out the window. Maybe I was contemplating the sky. Put even a fool in front of the window, and you would get a Spinoza. The afternoon passed; darkness shifted down.” Secondly, sight imagery is shown when Leo sees an advert that requires nude girls to present themselves for model drawing.
Paradox
The main satire is that love is complicated. Leo and Alma are in love, but the introduction of the Nazi Regime separates them. Alma goes to the USA, and she quickly forgets Leo and gets married to her manager. Ironically, Leo remains faithful to Alma and remains single for the rest of his life.
Parallelism
The story of Alma Singer parallels the history of love.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The Nazi is a metonym for interruption and discourse.
Personification
N/A
