SETTING IN LITERATURE
Setting refers to the natural and artificial scenery or environment in which
characters in literature live and move. Things such as the time of day and the
amount of light, the trees and animals, the sounds described, the smells, and the
weather are part of the setting.
There are three levels of setting:
Micro- The first level of context is the microsystem. This level has the most immediate
and earliest influences and includes the family, along with local friendship and peer
groups, and neighbourhood or community institutions such as a particular school or
church.
Meso- the next level of nested context is the mesosystem. This possesses intermediate
levels of influence such as larger and less personal social institutions like government,
transportation, entertainment, news organizations, and the like, or geographic regions
larger than a neighbourhood. The influence of these systems and institutions interacts
with, and is filtered through, the microsystem institutions. This is society at large with
embedded community or cultural aspects.
Macro- The most global level of contextual surrounding is the macrosystem. This is the
most distant from individuals and their influence and includes aspects such as
international relations or global changes or even more abstract aspects of culture. For
example, the movement from agricultural and industrial economies to an information-age,
global economy is having widespread influence on the ways societies, communities, and
families are operating.
There are three main Dimensions of Setting
1. Physical= Natural or Manufactured
2. Temporal (Time)- Clock, Calendar, Seasonal, Historical
3. Social/Psychological- This is the human dimension of setting. In different settings,
different interactions take place (think of a front porch in a small town or a barren desert).
Each setting has social and psychological dimensions. Pay attention to them.
1. Physical Setting
Two Main Physical Divisions:
Natural
The setting for a great deal of literature is the out-of-doors, and, naturally enough,
Nature herself is seen as a force that shapes character and action. A deep woods
may make walking difficult or dangerous, or it may be place where lovers meet at
night. Long distances may keep characters apart and make them different; when
they meet, they may have problems that were made by their separation. A barren
desert at night may make travelers seek a shelter that turns out to be unsafe. The
ocean may produce storms that threaten lives, or it may be so calm that sailing ships
cannot move on it. Other natural places may be the location of a quest for identity
or of a meditation about the vastness of God and the smallness of human beings.
Manufactured
Manufactured things always reflect the people who made them. A building or a
room tells about the people who build it and live in it, and ultimately about the
social and political orders that maintain the conditions. A rich house shows the
expensive tastes and resources of the characters owning it. A few cracks in the
plaster and some chips in the paint may show the same persons declining in fortune
and power. Ugly and impoverished surroundings may contribute to the weariness,
insensitivity, negligence, or even hostility of the characters living in them.
2. Temporal Setting (Time)
We need to consider four kinds of time that may carry particular associations with them:
* Clock time: this can be used to provide suspense or create certain moods or feelings.
* Calendar time: the day, month, year, or more generally a day of the week or time of
the month may provide an understanding of what takes place in a piece of literature.
* Seasonal time: the seasons or a span of time associated with a particular activity
may be important.
* Historical time: this can establish a psychological or sociological understanding of
behaviors and attitudes.
. Social/Psychological
3
- This is the human dimension of setting. In
different settings, different interactions take place (think of a front porch in a small town
or a barren desert). Each setting has social and psychological dimensions. Pay attention
to them.
---------------------------Setting: (shortened version of Jim Corbett story)
Jim Corbett is an Englishman but he lives in the highlands of India in the 1920s. He
is single and works for the railroad as an administrator. It is a very time-consuming
job, and he has many responsibilities. As an Englishman, he can sometimes have
initial difficulties relating to native Indians as equals or communicating with them
as a trusted confidante. Jim is also the greatest tiger hunter in India. When a maneating tiger is on the loose anywhere in northern India, he is called upon to hunt and
kill the tiger. He is then released from work at the railroad for the duration of the
hunt. These tigers typically live in deep jungle and mountainous areas. Man-eating
tigers are often injured, which is why they eat humans—who are easy prey. Once
tigers develop a taste for humans they tend to stay in that area and continue
attacking people. Tigers are very intelligent and can circle back, walk through water,
hide in trees and rocky caves, cover their tracks, and use other strategies to evade
being found. Jim needs the help of the locals and requires guides, although these
people are often paralyzed by fear and are reluctant to help him.
Uses of setting
The setting may be nothing more than the backdrop for what occurs; however, it may be
directly linked to mood or meaning.
* It can create an atmosphere that affects our response to the work.
* It may have a direct effect on a character's motivation.
* An external force may enter the setting and change it, causing conflict for the
characters.
* The setting itself may be an antagonist.
* Two settings may come into conflict with each other, causing conflict in the
characters who must live in them and perhaps have to choose between them.
SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT SETTING
People exist in a particular time and place. Where we live may contribute not only to our
personality, but also to our values, attitudes, and even our problems. In literature, setting
(time and place) can also influence characters and what they do.
Reading for setting
Sometimes the setting is clearly described by the narrator. However, some works will
require you to search for clues, especially with regard to the nonphysical environment.
* Learn about the author and the time and place of writing.
* Note suggestive details.
* Note unique uses of language and, perhaps, hidden references to the historical or
cultural environment.
Name of Story_________________________________
Dimensions
of Setting
Description of Aspect
Natural
Physical
Manufactured
Clock:
Temporal
Calendar:
Seasonal:
Historical:
Social/
Psychological
Name________________ Block_________
Impact on
Character/Plot
Level of setting that is
most important
(micro, meso, macro)