Monday, August 27Monday, August 27

Seating Chart (3)Seating Chart (3)

Get out Homework (to be turned in at the end of Get out Homework (to be turned in at the end of class with an exit slip) (2)class with an exit slip) (2)

In your notes: Quick think—why is it important In your notes: Quick think—why is it important to understand setting other than simply knowing to understand setting other than simply knowing time and place? (7)time and place? (7)– How is understanding setting relevant in your life?How is understanding setting relevant in your life?

Setting (25)Setting (25)

Exit Slip: (7) Exit Slip: (7)

SettingSetting

Setting is the historical Setting is the historical time and place and the time and place and the

social circumstances that social circumstances that create the world in which create the world in which characters act and make characters act and make

choices.choices.

SSetting can be revealed through the author’s use etting can be revealed through the author’s use of details about one or more of the following:of details about one or more of the following:

Geographic locationGeographic location

Cultural backdrop/social context/time Cultural backdrop/social context/time periodperiod

Artificial environmentArtificial environment

PropsProps

Levels of SettingLevels of SettingMicroMicro– The most immediate and The most immediate and

earliest influencesearliest influencesFamily, local friendships Family, local friendships and peer groups, and peer groups, neighborhood, community neighborhood, community institutionsinstitutions

MesoMeso– Intermediate level of Intermediate level of

influence which are larger influence which are larger and less personaland less personal

Government, Government, entertainment, news entertainment, news organizations, large organizations, large geographic regionsgeographic regions

MacroMacro– Most distant levelMost distant level

International relations, International relations, global economy, culture, global economy, culture, climate changeclimate change

MicroMicro

MesoMeso

MacroMacro

Dimensions of SettingDimensions of Setting

Physical SettingPhysical Setting– Physical location, climate, physical featuresPhysical location, climate, physical features

Address, country, city, neighborhood, street, architecture, floor plan, Address, country, city, neighborhood, street, architecture, floor plan, etc.etc.

Temporal Setting (time)Temporal Setting (time)– The period or eraThe period or era– The duration of time in which the story takes placeThe duration of time in which the story takes place

Social/Psychological SettingSocial/Psychological Setting– The human dimensionThe human dimension– Depending on the social context of the setting (who is there) the Depending on the social context of the setting (who is there) the

expectations of the story changeexpectations of the story change– The situation in which the setting is set, often gives a clue to the The situation in which the setting is set, often gives a clue to the

conflict of the story. (When a character tries to change the status conflict of the story. (When a character tries to change the status quo, conflict occurs.)quo, conflict occurs.)

In addition to identifying the setting, it is also necessary to analyze the effect setting may have on such elements as structure, symbol, irony, tone, mood, and character.

Setting: Setting: As it Creates Mood or As it Creates Mood or

AtmosphereAtmosphereThrough details about the environment, the Through details about the environment, the emotional charge of a literary piece is created, emotional charge of a literary piece is created, and that charge prepares the reader for what is and that charge prepares the reader for what is to come. to come.

When authors describe light, shadow, colors, When authors describe light, shadow, colors, shapes, smells, and sounds, they are using shapes, smells, and sounds, they are using setting to create distinctive moods.setting to create distinctive moods.

Examples: gloomy, foreboding, suspenseful, Examples: gloomy, foreboding, suspenseful, ominous, dreary, brooding, tragic, hopeless, ominous, dreary, brooding, tragic, hopeless, happy, romantic, mysterious.happy, romantic, mysterious.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat; it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats—the hobbit was fond of visitors. The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill—The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it—and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the lefthand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.The Hobbit

Setting as a Reflection of Setting as a Reflection of CharacterCharacter

When analyzing the correlation between When analyzing the correlation between setting and character, one should consider setting and character, one should consider the way characters respond to their the way characters respond to their environment and their adjustment to any environment and their adjustment to any changes in this setting. If an author gives changes in this setting. If an author gives details about a character’s favorite room, details about a character’s favorite room, workplace, hideaway, or manner of dress, workplace, hideaway, or manner of dress, the reader may infer certain traits which the reader may infer certain traits which serve to enhance character development.serve to enhance character development.

What can you infer about the characters of What can you infer about the characters of Tony and Ultima from the author’s words about Tony and Ultima from the author’s words about

the setting?the setting?Ultima came to stay with us the summer I was Ultima came to stay with us the summer I was almost seven. When she came the beauty of the almost seven. When she came the beauty of the Ilano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling Ilano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth. The magical time of childhood stood still, earth. The magical time of childhood stood still, and the pulse of the living earth pressed its and the pulse of the living earth pressed its mystery into my living blood. She took my hand, mystery into my living blood. She took my hand, and the silent, magic powers she possessed made and the silent, magic powers she possessed made the beauty from the raw, sun-baked Ilano, the the beauty from the raw, sun-baked Ilano, the green river valley, and the blue bowl which was green river valley, and the blue bowl which was the white sun’s home. My bare feet felt the the white sun’s home. My bare feet felt the throbbing earth and my body trembled with throbbing earth and my body trembled with excitement. Time stood still, and it shared with excitement. Time stood still, and it shared with me all that had been, and all that was to come…me all that had been, and all that was to come…

From From Bless Me, UltimaBless Me, Ultima

Archetypal SettingsArchetypal Settings

Archetypal settings or setting elements have some Archetypal settings or setting elements have some universal aspect that is associated by most people with a universal aspect that is associated by most people with a particular human experience. For example, deserts are particular human experience. For example, deserts are associated with spiritual quests through which the associated with spiritual quests through which the character is cleansed of desire and materialism and in character is cleansed of desire and materialism and in which he or she has a divine or prophetic vision. The which he or she has a divine or prophetic vision. The sea is a setting that hints at an opportunity to delve into sea is a setting that hints at an opportunity to delve into the subconscious. Underground places suggest an the subconscious. Underground places suggest an experience in which the hero confronts the darker or experience in which the hero confronts the darker or more unpleasant aspects of the self, including the fear of more unpleasant aspects of the self, including the fear of death. Many other archetypal settings enrich the death. Many other archetypal settings enrich the reader’s understanding of the author’s chosen theme. reader’s understanding of the author’s chosen theme. Other archetypal settings include the river, garden, Other archetypal settings include the river, garden, wasteland, maze, castle, tower, wilderness, and the wasteland, maze, castle, tower, wilderness, and the threshold.threshold.

Why is it so important?Why is it so important?

With all the information we can gain from With all the information we can gain from the setting, the author is really giving us the setting, the author is really giving us rules about what to expect.rules about what to expect.

Setting determines rules, constraints, and Setting determines rules, constraints, and possibilities, potential conflicts and possibilities, potential conflicts and possible consequencespossible consequences

Think about Your LifeThink about Your Life

How do the rules you live by change with How do the rules you live by change with setting?setting?

How do your expectations change with How do your expectations change with setting?setting?

Exit slip: On last night’s homework, write Exit slip: On last night’s homework, write down one reason understanding setting is down one reason understanding setting is important and why.important and why.