Setting When and where a story takes place

Setting When and where a story takes place

As the place of fiction, setting is generally a physical locale that shapes a story's mood, its emotional aura or quality.

Real or imaginary, concrete or symbolic, a moment or an eternity, setting is the dramatic backdrop for a story.

Why is Setting Important?

Setting is important because. . . Setting reveals prevailing atmosphere or mood Time and place affect the outcome of the story.

Setting is important because. . . • setting shows internal and external conflicts • setting highlights potential contrasts between characters or ideas

Setting is important because. . . • setting can determine the fate of the protagonist • setting reflects character and often embodies theme.

Victor Frankenstein does all of his experiments in “a solitary chamber, or rather a cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a staircase…”

…we might conclude that there is something anti-social, isolated, and stale, maybe even unnatural, about his project and his way of learning.

Roles of Setting How does Setting function in literature?

Roles of Setting: • as a mirror to reflect what is going on inside the characters • as a mold to shape the characters into who they are

Setting may also act. . . • as a challenge providing a test for the character to reveal his or her true self • as an alien setting that creates a sense of exile and loss

Setting may also act. . . as an escape which allows more whimsical and fantastic parts of the character to be expressed.

Another impact of setting: An external force may enter the setting and change it, causing conflict for the characters.

Setting may also act. . . As an antagonist, causing conflict with the main character

Two settings may also come into conflict with each other, causing conflict in the characters who must live in them and perhaps have to choose between them.

Types of Setting • Physical Setting • Geographical Setting • Cultural Setting • Historical Setting

Types of Setting PHYSICAL SETTING

Physical Setting § § Time of day Season Weather / Temperature Indoors/Outdoors

Physical Setting: § Type of room/building § Objects § Colors § Imagery— 5 senses

Types of Setting GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING

Geographical Setting Location, including • country (Japan, Mexico, Scotland) • region (north/south, upper/lower end) • state / city • neighborhood • street • floor/level (basement, attic etc. . . ) • urban / rural / suburban

Types of Setting CULTURAL SETTING:

Cultural Setting: the values, ideals, and attitudes of a place • Physical Cultural Setting & • Non-Physical Cultural Setting

Physical Cultural Setting: • • • Dialogue Clothing Iconography Routines Decoration All of these factors establish the physical cultural setting

Non-physical cultural setting: • • Education Social standing Economic class Religious belief These factors establish the nonphysical cultural setting

Types of Setting HISTORICAL SETTING

Historical Setting Time period/Year Role of government Reign of a leader or President Major historical events These historical factors can establish a psychological or sociological understanding of behaviors and attitudes.

Historical Setting More Historical factors: • • • Transportation Crop yield Epidemics Wars Economy Natural disasters

Clock time: This can be used to provide suspense or create certain moods or feelings—time is also an important literary symbol.

Seasonal time The seasons or a span of time associated with a particular activity may be important as a symbol.

"Every story would be another story, and unrecognizable if it took up its characters and plot and happened somewhere else. . . ” --Eudora Welty

End of presentation.