Genre
Romance fiction
Setting and Context
San Francisco in the 1980s.
Narrator and Point of View
Michael Tolliver narrates the novel in the first-person.
Tone and Mood
The tone is dramatic; the mood is hopeful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Michael Tolliver is the protagonist; the threat of AIDS is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the novel occurs when Michael begins to reflect on how he managed to survive the AIDS epidemic that killed many of his friends.
Climax
The climax of the story is reached when Michael's mother is told that she will soon die, and her acceptance of Michael's homosexuality is tested.
Foreshadowing
The changes of San Francisco are foreshadowed by the fact that the modern world continues to move forwards.
Understatement
The role of support and friendship is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
The story alludes to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s.
Imagery
The imagery of sexual activity is present in the novel.
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
There is a parallel between Michael's deviant nature and the fact that he contracted AIDS.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The collapsing wall is a metonym for Michael's dying mother.
Personification
N/A
