Point of View

A Cup of Tea is written in the third-person singular. At times, the narrator follows a character's train of thought, so that the reader is exposed to all sides of the dilemma.

Setting

The novel takes place in New York City and briefly, in France. The streets of New York are present in the text. The difference between Eleanor's reality at the boardinghouse and Rosemary's house full of flowers is quite clear.

The story takes place in 1917 during the World War I. Philip is part of the first round of American soldiers to ship out overseas for the war.

Language and Meaning

The language of the narrator is modern and unadorned. The language of the characters reflects their class, yet their words are modern. The author has avoided old-fashioned dialogue to reflect the era. With current dialogue, it is easy to forget we are in 1917 and...