Genre
Fiction Novel
Setting and Context
Set in 1975, in Northern Ireland
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
The tone is grim, and the mood is gloomy.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Cushla, a 24-year-old primary school teacher in a catholic school.
Major Conflict
There is a major conflict between Catholics and Protestants. For instance, Davy's mother is a Protestant married to a Catholic, often creating tension in the family. Davy's father wants all his children to be brought up as Catholics, which the mother opposes the move. Therefore, there is tension in McGeown's family due to religious differences.
Climax
The climax comes when Cushla starts a sexual relationship with Michael. When Cushla is with Michael, she feels that she owns the world, which is the greatest feeling she has ever felt.
Foreshadowing
The uncertainty of Cushla's relationship with a married man foreshadows her worries about becoming a single mother.
Understatement
There is an understatement when Cushla says dating a married man is the best decision. In Reality, Cushla knows she is crossing a dangerous territory.
Allusions
The story alludes to J. Mathew’s memoir “Dating a Married Man: Memoirs from the Other Women.” The important event in the memoir is the uncertainty of dating a married man.
Imagery
The description of the scene where the army stops Cashla and Gerry while heading to the party depicts a sense of sight. The narrator says, “A few feet away, Gerry was facing a brick wall, his hands behind his ears, the scene lit by a streetlamp and the wink of his hazard lights.”
Paradox
The main paradox is a conflict between Catholics and Protestants living in the same neighborhood. Both Protestants and Catholics are Christians who preach love and peace amongst themselves.
Parallelism
There is a parallelism between Cashla's resolution to date Michael and his decision to allow her into his private residence.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
n/a
