The End of the Affair Literary Elements

A novel

The action of the book takes place in London during and after the Second World War, when in many houses it is possible, suddenly, to hear a prayer or vice versa, curses and screams of hatred

The narrator of the novel is a first person Maurice Bendrix. Moreover, the novel contains some stories from the diary of Sarah Miles. The narrator of this diary is a first person Sarah.

The tone and mood of this novel are dramatic, because the theme of war, death and unrequited love are discussed here.

All main personages of the novel are antagonists of their lives. They do not try to do something good for people or for themselves. Maurice constantly tortures Sarah with his jealousy. Sarah is cheating on her husband Henry. Henry cannot decide what he wants at all. Each character defiles his life. Only God is the protagonist of the book.

The main conflict is a betrayal of Sarah Miles with a friend of her husband.

The climax occurs when the detective brings Sarah’s diary to Maurice. In this diary, Maurice learns the answers to questions that interest him.

Actually, if the reader is attentive, he or she can notice the main foreshadowing in the title of the book. “The End of the Affair” predicts that the main characters of this book will lose or destroy their love.

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The novel alludes to such historical events as World War II and to the general layout of London.

The images of London and of the dreadfulness of the World War II are used in the novel.

Paradoxically, Sarah Miles, who cannot figure out her faith in God, makes other characters believe. Being an atheist, she turns to God.

There is a parallel of love and betrayal. Sarah loves her lover Maurice, but cheats on her husband Henry.

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The war personifies the main enemy of Sarah and Maurice and the whole of humanity, too. The main characters lose their love and happiness.