Imagined Communities Literary Elements

Imagined Communities Literary Elements

Genre

Fiction

Setting and Context

The book is written in the context of ideological nationalism.

Narrator and Point of View

Third-person narrative

Tone and Mood

Enlightening and moving

Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist is the nationalist, while the antagonist is the monarch.

Major Conflict

The main conflict is that Anderson argues that a nation does not exist physically because it is socially construed by people who share similar cultures and citizenship. This statement is conflicting because a nation is also marked using a physical boundary.

Climax

The climax is that socialism is stronger in unifying a nation because it helps people share a common identity. A good is an example is modern America which is unified through social identity.

Foreshadowing

The tomb of the unknown soldiers in America foreshadows endless socialism and identity among the Americans for many years to come.

Understatement

A nation is understated in the text. According to Anderson, an entire nation does not exit. However, the reality is different because a nation is identified by its physical boundary showing that it exists.

Allusions

The story alludes to the unity of America that is enhanced through socialism.

Imagery

The imagery nationally dominates the book. According to Anderson, the mental experience of humanity and society is enhanced through nationalism. Therefore, Anderson paints a picture of unity that is enhanced through emotional attachment.

Paradox

The main paradox is that the media, which is supposed to Unite Americans, plays a partisan role of propaganda and demeaning the nationalistic ideas that unify America.

Parallelism

N/A

Metonymy and Synecdoche

Nationalism is a metonymy referring to a common purpose.

Personification

N/A

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