The Magic Toyshop Literary Elements

The Magic Toyshop Literary Elements

Genre

magic realism

Setting and Context

London, 20th century

Narrator and Point of View

Third person omniscient

Tone and Mood

Tone: indirect
Mood: distressed, melancholic

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist: Melanie; Antagonist: Uncle Philip

Major Conflict

After her parents die in a tragic accident Melanie and her younger siblings are obliged to live with their mother's brother, Uncle Philip.

Climax

While Uncle Philip's away from home, the rest of the family are having a jovial time, which leads to revelation of the nature of Jowles siblings' relationship and a tragic ending of the house and the toy shop when Uncle Philip returns home and burns everything to the ground.

Foreshadowing

Melanie's parents' wedding photograph with their family members, along with Uncle Philip, serves as a grim object of foreshadowing.

Understatement

The biggest understatement is the painting of Melanie's aunt naked in Finn and Francie's bedroom. Melanie doesn't give the painting much consideration, but it is a large hint of what kind of relationship the Jowles have.

Allusions

"Melanie had never even known an orphan before and now here she was, an orphan herself. Like Jane Eyre."

Imagery

Imagery of paintings and photographs as hints to the truth.

Paradox

"Since she was thirteen, when her periods began, she had felt she was pregnant with herself..."

Parallelism

"The world, which was only this garden, was as empty as the sky, endless as eternity."

Metonymy and Synecdoche

N/A

Personification

"And the house was peculiarly cold. Perhaps it was freezing itself out of spite."

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.

Cite this page