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Genre 

Historical fiction; war novel

Narrator 

An unknown, omniscient narrator

Point of view 

Third person omniscient; the narrator is not present or obtrusive in the text, yet is able to know the thoughts and feelings of each of the characters

Tone 

Matter-of-fact, realistic, and resigned; the narrator does not gloss over details or make them any more palatable for the reader

Tense 

Immediate past

Setting (time) 

1917, near the end of the World War I

Setting (place) 

Craiglockhart War Hospital, Scotland

Protagonist 

Dr. Rivers

Antagonist 

Madness; Rivers and his patients must fight against the war neuroses in an attempt to heal, but first they must determine what the madness is

Climax 

Rivers witnesses Dr. Yealland's electro-shock therapy, reflects on his relationship with Sassoon, and is forced to come to terms with his own role as a doctor and the control he wields over his patients

Falling action 

The Board finalizes Sassoon's decision to return to active military duty in France; Sassoon leaves and Rivers reflects on how he has been changed by his patient

Foreshadowing 

Pointing out the flooded cave on their walk foreshadows that the cave is where Rivers will find Burns in the storm; the dreary, empty hallway at the National Hospital foreshadows the frightening treatment Rivers later witnesses there

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