Elements of Fiction: Elements of Fiction: SettingSetting

The Author’s PlaygroundThe Author’s Playground

What is Setting in fiction?What is Setting in fiction?

Is it the time in which a story takes Is it the time in which a story takes place?place?

Is it the place where a story occurs?Is it the place where a story occurs?

Is it a complete set of dishes and Is it a complete set of dishes and silverware? silverware?

Take a few minutes either with a Take a few minutes either with a partner or on your own to come up partner or on your own to come up with a defintion.with a defintion.

Setting: a Workable Setting: a Workable DefinitionDefinition

Setting is the time and place in Setting is the time and place in which a story (fiction or non-fiction) which a story (fiction or non-fiction) takes place. The setting is not only takes place. The setting is not only the background for the story, but it the background for the story, but it can influence the type of characters can influence the type of characters that appear in a story as well as what that appear in a story as well as what events occur in the plot.events occur in the plot.

Setting includes the Setting includes the following:following:• Geographical locationGeographical location (for example: (for example:

Wyoming, London, Cairo, Vancouver)Wyoming, London, Cairo, Vancouver)• Time periodTime period (for example: 1865, during (for example: 1865, during

WWII, today)WWII, today)• Socio-economic Characteristics of the Socio-economic Characteristics of the

locationlocation (for example: wealthy suburbs, (for example: wealthy suburbs, depression dustbowl)depression dustbowl)

• Specific building, room, etc.Specific building, room, etc. (for example: (for example: prep school, log cabin, bus, military base)prep school, log cabin, bus, military base)

Uses For Setting:Uses For Setting:Setting can be used to tell readers about the characters:Setting can be used to tell readers about the characters:

That evening T.J. smelled the air, his nostrils dilating That evening T.J. smelled the air, his nostrils dilating with the odor of the earth under his feet. “It’s with the odor of the earth under his feet. “It’s spring,” he said, and there was a gladness rising in spring,” he said, and there was a gladness rising in his voice that filled us all with the same feeling.his voice that filled us all with the same feeling.

“ “It’s mighty late for it, but it’s spring” …We were all It’s mighty late for it, but it’s spring” …We were all sniffing at the air, too, trying to smell it the way that sniffing at the air, too, trying to smell it the way that T.J. did, and I can still remember the sweet odor of the T.J. did, and I can still remember the sweet odor of the earth under our feet. It was the first time in my life earth under our feet. It was the first time in my life that spring and spring earth had meant anything to that spring and spring earth had meant anything to me.me.

““Antaeus” by Borden DealAntaeus” by Borden Deal

Uses For Setting (cont.):Uses For Setting (cont.):Setting can be used to set the atmosphere Setting can be used to set the atmosphere

for the story:for the story: “ “During the whole of a dull, dark, and During the whole of a dull, dark, and

soundless day in the autumn of the year, soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country.”tract of country.”

““The Fall of the House of Usher”The Fall of the House of Usher”By Edgar Allan PoeBy Edgar Allan Poe

Consider this …Consider this …

On the next slide, you will see a On the next slide, you will see a picture of Vincent VanGogh’s picture of Vincent VanGogh’s painting, “Starry Night.” Examine painting, “Starry Night.” Examine the setting depicted in the painting the setting depicted in the painting and determine what kind of and determine what kind of characters and stories might exist in characters and stories might exist in the painting.the painting.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/VanGogh-starry_night_ballance1.jpg