Genre
Travel writing
Setting and Context
This novel is set in many different places, with Botton telling stories of his travels to places like Amsterdam and Barbados.
Narrator and Point of View
Philosopher Alain de Botton writes this book from his own point of view, often including stories of his own travels.
Tone and Mood
The tone of this novel is often humorous, philosophical, and insightful.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Botton himself can be considered the protagonist (or perhaps the reader.) There is no clear antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of this text is Botton's argument that people should use travel in the right way, rather than as a way to escape their lives or even themselves.
Climax
In the sixth essay of the collection, the climax is when Botton concludes that when people experience the "sublime," they become more humble as they are reminded of their insignificance.
Foreshadowing
Often, Botton will foreshadow his own travel stories by speaking about the issue he experiences beforehand. For example, in "On Anticipation," he talks about how traveling often disappoints and then tells a story of his own disappointing holiday to Barbados.
Understatement
Botton argues that people often understate the pervasiveness of their own problems, thinking that they might "escape" from them by traveling.
Allusions
Botton alludes to many historical figures in this book, including poet Charles Baudelaire.
Imagery
Imagery is used to describe the brochure picture that convinced Botton to travel to Barbados: "A palm tree gently inclining in a tropical breeze."
Paradox
Botton suggests that people are concerned with finding happiness, but paradoxically look for it in the wrong places, ultimately making them much more unhappy than they need to be.
Parallelism
Botton often compares his own traveling experiences to those of historical figures. For example, he compares his own disappointment traveling to Charles Baudelaire.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
N/A