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Genre

Bildungsroman (novel about the moral development of the main character); a coming of age novel

Point of View

Omniscient

Tone

Mostly sympathetic toward the characters, sometimes childlike or contemplative

Tense

Past

Setting

Williamsburg, Brooklyn between 1900 and 1918

Foreshadowing

There are more instances than can be listed. Henny's death foreshadows Johnny's. Katie's ability to read and write, unlike her mother, foreshadows that Francie will gain a higher level of education than Katie. The scene at the Mattie Mahoney picnic foreshadows the marriage of Katie and McShane.

Climax

Sergeant McShane asks Katie Nolan to marry him.

Falling Action

The Nolans move out of their home and get ready for the wedding. Francie says good-bye to Brooklyn before she leaves for college.

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