Genre
Historical fiction novel
Setting and Context
Set in 1938 during the Great Depression in San Diego Zoo
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is told in first-person narrative from the perspective of Woodrow Wilson Nickel.
Tone and Mood
The tone is candid, and the mood is tense.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Woodrow Nickel, and the antagonist is Percival.
Major Conflict
In the entire novel, the major conflict is between Percival and Riley. Percival is the owner of a traveling circus and a leading animal abuser who steals giraffes and trades them in the black market.
Climax
The climax comes when Woodrow returns to San Diego Zoo after the death of Riley and finds the Giraffes thriving. He creates more time to visit the Giraffes regularly.
Foreshadowing
His financial muscle foreshadows Percival’s arrogance and monopolistic deals.
Understatement
Riley understates the capability of Woodrow to help him to conserve the giraffes.
Allusions
N/A
Imagery
The photo-shooting scene by Red to cover the story of the Giraffes depicts a sense of sight; the photographs taken by Red are significant because they are used in formulating strategies to enhance the conservation of the Giraffes in the San Diego Zoo.
Paradox
The primary paradox is when Woodrow accepts money from Percival, which goes against his expectation of Riley because they both know Percival is the enemy of the giraffes.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between Percival’s arrogance and his financial capability.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Financial monopoly is a metonymy for haughtiness.
Personification
N/A
