Setting

What Is Setting?
Setting is the location (where) and time (when) of a story, novel or play. Setting can also include the social conditions under which the action takes place. Setting serves several functions in a literary work, and it's important to be able to identify them. Setting can be significant because it can prompt characters to interact and allow plots to develop.

Setting Includes:

• Physical environment: a house, a street, a city, a landscape, a region, etc.
• Time: hour, year, century, etc.
• Weather: season, temperature, climate, etc.

Ex: The setting of “A Clean, Well Lighted Place” is a train station.
Ex: The setting of Macbeth is medieval Scotland.

Primary Functions of Setting:

• Establish time and place
• Make certain events seem probable
• Reveal character
• Create atmosphere
• Communicate ideas

Note: Many works have multiple settings. These different settings may have different functions within a single work.

How To Identify Setting:
When reading a work, you must determine if the setting is significant. To do so, take notice when:

• A "minor" or "insignificant" aspect of setting is given undue attention by the author.
• Certain settings are emphasized repeatedly by the author.
• An author has described the setting with exquisite detail or metaphorical connotations:
  • Exquisite detail indicates that setting is more than a mere "backdrop" for action.
  • Metaphorical connotations often create analogies (comparisons) between qualities in the setting and qualities found in the characters.

 

Remember:
Setting is the location and time of a story. It serves different functions and can be a significant element of the story.