Genre
Fiction, novel
Setting and Context
Kentucky, during the late 1940's.
Narrator and Point of View
An unnamed, third-person omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is upsetting; the mood is depressing.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Ursa is the protagonist; Mutt is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Ursa has an 'accident' with a staircase and has to go to hospital as a result of her injuries.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Ursa begins to truly recover and heal from the damage and seeks support to escape from Mutt.
Foreshadowing
Ursa's leaving of Mutt is foreshadowed by the help she receives from the hospital staff.
Understatement
The importance of safety is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to domestic and sexual violence.
Imagery
The imagery of the journey to recovery is present in the novel.
Paradox
The fact that Mutt is meant to be in love with Ursa, yet abuses her is an example of paradox in the story.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the abuse that Ursa received and the experiences of the other women that help her.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A
