Genre
Novel
Setting and Context
The novel is set in the Guadalupe Islands.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Conquering, sanguine, rancorous,
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist of the story is Catherine Gagneur.
Major Conflict
The main conflict is when Justin reduces Rayze to a mare employee in the expansive I’Engoulvent Estate that he called home for many years. Gagneur adopted Rayze and gave him similar privileges to his children, Justin and Catherine. However, Justin was jealous, and when his father died, he took everything from Rayze.
Climax
The climax is when Rayze takes his revenge and takes back the I’Engoulvent Estate from Justin after he defeated Justin in the game of cards.
Foreshadowing
The adoption of Raze into Gagneur’s family foreshadows Justin’s troubled future.
Understatement
Justin’s envy against Rayze is understated while Gagneur is alive. However, Justin's true colours emerge when Gagneur dies because the first thing he does is deprive Rayze of his privileges in the Estate.
Allusions
The story alludes to the price of envy. At last, Justin loses everything to Rayze, who he had deprived of the ownership of the Estate.
Imagery
The sensory experience is conveyed to readers through the imagery of smell. The author says that the scent of tuberoses was rampant at the funeral. Similarly, the author uses touch imagery when writing, "Above all, I shall miss the intangible things…."
Paradox
The main paradox is that Justin never imagined that his enemy, Razye, could come back and take all his possessions.
Parallelism
The story of Justin’s love for wealth parallels Catherine desire to get married to a rich man.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Death is personified as an agent of truth. After Gagneur dies, Justin shows his true colors and deprives Rayze of all privileges in the Estate.
