The Door in the Wall Literary Elements

The Door in the Wall Literary Elements


Children's Fiction, Children's Historical Fiction

Setting and Context

England in the Middle Ages

Narrator and Point of View

Third person narrator who tells the tale from Robin's point of view

Tone and Mood

Threatening - threats include the plague, war and failing crops

Protagonist and Antagonist

Robin is the ten year old protagonist; the marauding Welsh the antagonists

Major Conflict

War against the Scots that involves Robin's father in the King's army

War against the invading Welsh whose attempt to take the castle are thwarted by Robin


Robin is made a Knight by the King on the Feast of Christmas


Robin heard the ruffians at the inn plotting to rob Brother John


Robin says the climb up and down the river banks will be difficult but this understates the task on hand which involves pulling up not only himself but his crutches as well


Brother Luke alludes to a pilgrimage he makes each year when he and Robin's travelling group is moving towards the castle from London


The images of places of worship is present throughout the novel but particularly resonates when the trees are said to form a Gothic arch like a cathedral in the open air


Robin thinks his withered legs will prevent him from becoming a knight but they enable him to pass for a simple shepherd boy and carry out his am to liberate the castle


The King draws a parallel between Robin's bravery and the gallantry of his father, his most trusted Knight

Metonymy and Synecdoche

The castle was under siege - the castle was not actually trapped by the Welsh bit it is used to represent The Lord and all of the people unable to leave for fear of attack


The larks sang with joy attributing a human emotion to avian life

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