Genre
Memoir
Setting and Context
Set in Nanny's Big Yellow House
Narrator and Point of View
A first-person narrative from Johnson's point of view
Tone and Mood
The tone is amusing, and the mood is cheerful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is George Johnson.
Major Conflict
There is a conflict between Nanny and Rall, and Rasul. Rall and Rasul engage in a vicious fight, and in the process, they break Nanny's brand-new coffee table. Nanny responds by giving them a beating they will never forget for the rest of their lives.
Climax
The climax comes in chapters five and six, where Rasul writes an appreciation letter as a poem to Nanny. In the letter, Rasul is grateful and thanks Nanny for caring for him throughout his life. Nanny has never seen something like this before, and she is very happy when she reads the letter.
Foreshadowing
The conflict between Rall and Rasul foreshadows Nannies irritation to retaliate.
Understatement
The white woman who falsely accuses Rasul of stealing her daughter’s baseball understated Nanny’s ability to knock her down.
Allusions
N/A
Imagery
The description of Nanny's house depicts a sense of sight. The author writes, “To four little Black boys, the `the Big Yellow House was a palace and Nanny was the queen. It was the house that had space for every major holiday, birthday, and impromptu family visit." The imagery is significant because it represents Nanny's humanity and readiness to raise her grandchildren by providing them with the best environment to grow in.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Gareth is the baby of all time, even after several children are born after him. Nanny calls Gareth "The Baby" even after he becomes grown up, and this makes young children feel bad.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between Nanny’s religious beliefs and the boys’ upbringing.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Black summer is a metonymy for a holiday.
Personification
N/A
