Literary Devices
Genre
The Death of Mrs. Westaway is a suspenseful thriller. The thriller genre is a popular and varied type of fiction with many styles and subgenres. Typically, thrillers use similar moods and elicit anticipation and anxiety from the reader. Mysteries are also central to the thriller genre, as the characters work to uncover the truth at the heart of the plot. This quest for truth may involve distractions, lies, misunderstandings, twists, and shocks for the readers and the protagonist.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway involves several such key mysteries. Hal is immediately drawn into the Westaway family by a mysterious letter and the prospect of an inheritance that might not be legally hers. She enters a situation where everyone appears to be lying, while also telling lies of her own. The truth is a malleable concept in the novel, as all characters are only selectively honest. Hal’s lies are morally complicated; she is ultimately forced into her fraud by her dire financial circumstances, while her nagging guilt helps to ensure that she remains a sympathetic protagonist despite her dishonesty.
The reader observes the novel’s mysteries through Hal’s eyes. As Hal untangles the truth about her past, her parentage, and her inheritance, the Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Unlock all 52 pages of this Study Guide
Related Titles
By Ruth Ware
