Genre
Fiction
Setting and Context
The book is set in a small house where Mrs. Frisby lives after the death of her husband.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Worrying, disheartening, horrifying and pessimistic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Mrs. Frisby is the protagonist of the story.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is that Timothy, Mrs. Frisby’s child is sick and is about to die. She goes to ask for help from Mr. Ages.
Climax
The climax comes when Mrs. Frisby tells her children the entire truth of her life and that of the late father.
Foreshadowing
Mr. Ages foreshadows the well-being and recovery of Timothy.
Understatement
Mrs. Frisby’s determination to guard her family is understated. Despite trying her best to ensure that Timothy is well, she also does everything possible to protect her house from destruction
Allusions
The story alludes to motherly love and the sacrifices she makes for the sake of their families.
Imagery
The images of the owl's home and description depict sight imagery to readers. In the instance, the owl says, "I have lived in this tree, in this same hollow…for more years than anyone can remember. But now, when the wind blows hard in winter and rocks the forest, I sit here in the dark, and from deep down in the bole, down near the roots, I hear a new sound.”
Paradox
The main paradox is that Mrs. Frisby is a widow who protects her family than most men.
Parallelism
The mice's lives parallel the everyday life of a human being.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The term 'scavengers' is a metonymy that refers to rats' nature and behaviour after they became lazy and soft.
Personification
Mice are personified to behave exactly like human beings.
