Genre
Historical Fiction, Magical Realism
Setting and Context
Free city of Danzig (present time Gdansk, in Poland) during 1925-1955.
Narrator and Point of View
The protagonist, Oskar, is the narrator. He constantly switches between first person and third person narrative, sometimes within the same sentence.
Tone and Mood
Funny, Tragic, Macabre, Sensual, Blasphemous
Protagonist and Antagonist
Oskar is the protagonist while the Nazi Germany can equivocally be termed as the antagonist.
Major Conflict
At the delicate age of three, Oskar refuses to grow anymore physically, on account of his sheer will. The self-willed dwarf then lives a life filled with adventure and heartache.
Climax
Oskar realizes that the real murderer of Sister Dorothea has been found and he would no longer be kept captive at the insane asylum. The insane asylum, to him, was an escape from life itself. But once he is acquitted, he would be thrown back into the vicious mistress that is life.
Foreshadowing
Bebra's importance in Oskar's life is foreshadowed in their first meeting when Bebra says to him, "We shall meet again. We are too little to lose each other."
Understatement
In the beginning of the novel, young Oskar decides not to grow. This declaration understates his resolve and will power, which ultimately alter the course of his life.
Allusions
The works of Goethe and Rasputin have been frequently alluded to by the author.
Imagery
Images of a war-torn Germany are described. More than that, the images of the people, who were affected by the war, are intricately weaved.
Paradox
Oskar, when narrating his story, from the insane asylum, moves to and fro between first person and third person narrative. It's almost as if he becomes an omniscient observer in certain events of his life.
Parallelism
Oskar's dual personality consisting of a childlike facade and an adult brain forms a parallel with the people of post-war Germany. It reflects their awareness of the Nazi brutality, while at the same time, their stand of coerced participation.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The author makes use of Goethe's and Rasputin's names to refer to their works (Metonymy).
Personification
Oskar's red and white lacquered tin drum is often personified as a friend essential to his existence.
