Genre
Historical fiction
Setting and Context
Set in Brooklyn in the 1960s
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
The tone is considerate, and the mood is edgy.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Cuffy "Sportcoat," and the antagonist is Bunch Moon.
Major Conflict
There is a major conflict between Sportcoat and Bunch Moon. Bunch is the biggest drug cartel in Brooklyn. When Bunch realizes that Sportcoat has shot Deems, one of his employees, he vows to kill him.
Climax
The climax comes when Sportcoat cuts links with the spirit of the dead ad quits his drinking habits.
Foreshadowing
The revelation about the criminal network drug smuggling is foreshadowed by the shooting incident between Sportcoat and Deems.
Understatement
There is an understatement when the author says that the residents of Cause in Brooklyn live peacefully. In reality, the community is burdened with criminal activities, drug addiction, and poverty.
Allusions
The novel alludes to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico, which is known for its violence.
Imagery
The description of the problems facing the people of the Cause paints a picture of misery and suffering. For example, drug addiction, crime, merciless shootings, and poverty exist.
Paradox
The main irony is that Sportcoat commits suicide after reforming to be a good man.
Parallelism
n/a
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
The spirit is personified. Hettie is a dead person, but she often meets with her husband and communicates with him.
