The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting. For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not. There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):

a. place-geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?

b. time-When is the story taking place? (Historical period, time of day, year, etc.)

c. weather conditions-Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.?

d. social conditions-What is the daily life of the character's like? Does the story contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?

e. mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

Points To Ponder...

• Where does this story take place?

• What is this place like?

• When did this story take place? How do you now?

• Have you ever been in a place like this? Could there be a place like this?

• Did the story take place a long time ago/in the future/now?

• Which part of the story best describes the setting?

• How does the writer create the atmosphere for the setting?

• Are there any particular words that create this atmosphere?

• Is there anything I can tell about the setting even though it does not say it directly? For example: I know it is winter if there is snow on the ground.

Setting

Practicing exercise

On a rainy November morning in 1776, a soldier trod a solitary path along a road in western Virginia. His gait was slow, and his face—barely visible beneath untold layers of grime—betrayed an anguished, exhausted expression.

I.                 Answer the following questions:

a.      Where does the story take place? What details tell you this?

b.      When do the events of this story take place? What clues tell you so?

Setting

Practicing exercise-Answer key

a.      On a rainy November morning in 1776.

b.      Battle of Fort Washington

Setting

Quiz

It was a cold and cheerless evening. The fog seemed to hover over the street, clutching the buildings, the streetlamps—the entire city—in a damp, icy grip. If one were to stand still, passers-by would emerge briefly from the gloom, only to disappear from view after taking just a few steps. These ghostly apparitions tormented James as he impatiently waited for his valet to return with his carriage.

 I. Answer the following questions:

1. What sensory details does the author use to draw the reader into the setting?

2. What mood do these details help create?

Setting

Quiz-Answer key

Answers will vary.

Setting

Test

Describe a place that is familiar to you. Organize your description from either right to left, top to bottom, or closest to farthest point from you. Choose the spatial order that makes your description easiest to understand.

Setting

Test-Answer key

Answers will vary.