Genre
magical realism
Setting and Context
20th century, London
Narrator and Point of View
Narrator: Dora
Point of view: first person
Tone and Mood
Tone: humorous, lively
Mood: vivacious, nostalgic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Dora, Antagonist: Nora's and Dora's real father Melchior Hazard
Major Conflict
Melchior Hazard leaves a poor girl pregnant and after the birth of twin girls refuses to accept them. This leaves Dora and Nora with a lifetime of longing for his love and acceptance.
Climax
At Melchior's birthday party, he finally accepts Dora and Nora and gives them a hint of love they so desperately longed for. Ever hidden truth comes out at the party as well.
Foreshadowing
"Tomorrow never comes. But, oh yes, tomorrow does come all right, and when it comes it lasts a bloody long time, I can tell you."
Understatement
In return, I broke his heart. Fair exchange is no robbery."
Allusions
Allusions to Shakespeare and his plays one of which is "King Lear"
Imagery
Imagery of Peregrine magnificently entering the birthday hall, to everyone's surprise, surrounded by all sorts of butterflies.
Paradox
"She was a marvel and she was a mess."
"I was a wise child, wasn't I?"
Parallelism
"You spent your childhood on the road, here today, gone tomorrow; you grew up a restless man. You loved change. And fornication. And trouble. And, funnily enough, towards the end, you loved butterflies.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
lost limb-Dora reffers to her sister in this way in the moment when she thought she lost her forever
Personification
"The most democratic thing I'd ever seen, that California sunshine.
