Jabberwocky Literary Elements

Jabberwocky Literary Elements

Genre

Nonsensical poem

Setting and Context

A fantasy setting, depicted as being pastoral.

Narrator and Point of View

The speaker is an objective narrator who is telling a story about the killing of the Jabberwocky.

Tone and Mood

The poem has a similar tone to classic Anglo-Saxon tales, beginning as threatening and uncertain, but ending victorious.

Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist is the boy, and the antagonist is the Jabberwocky.

Major Conflict

The major conflict in this poem is between the boy and the Jabberwocky.

Climax

The climax of the poem is the defeat of the Jabberwocky.

Foreshadowing

The threat and danger of the Jabberwocky is foreshadowed when the father tells the boy to "beware" the Jabberwocky.

Understatement

The word "burbled" seems to understate the Jabberwocky and makes him seem less harmful.

Allusions

The use of the Jabberwocky's head is an allusion to hunting traditions where the head is taken as a "trophy."

Imagery

Evil and sinister imagery is used to describe the Jabberwocky, such as his "eyes of flame".

Paradox

N/A

Parallelism

Parallelism is created between the boy, and traditional heroes of Anglo-Saxon literature, who must defeat the villain in order to earn respect.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

N/A

Personification

The vorpal sword is personified in the fight scene.

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