Death Be Not Proud

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Summary Key Facts

Full title Death Be Not Proud

Author John Gunther

Type of work Non-fiction memoir

Genre Illness narrative; epistolary narrative

Language English

Time and place written Late 1940s, the United States

Date of First Publication 1949

Publisher Harper & Row

Narrator Gunther (in main narrative); Johnny (in letters and diary); Frances

Climax Johnny's doctor's cannot extract any fluid from his stone-sized tumor.

Protagonist Johnny

Setting (time) 1945-47

Setting (place) New York; Connecticut; Massachusetts

Point of view Gunther's; Johnny's (through his diary and letters); Frances's

Falling action Johnny's death and funeral

Tense Immediate past tense

Foreshadowing Gunther reveals on the first page that Johnny died; he also sees it on a doctor's face early on.

Tone Elegant, journalistic, yet often emotional and philosophical

Themes Courage and willpower in the face of death; the uniqueness of loving life; childhood versus adulthood

Motifs Johnny's bump