Setting What is the setting of a story? Dry Erase White Boards – Groups – ***What is the setting of a story? ***What is the setting of this photograph? What is the setting of a story? What is the setting of this photograph?

As the place of fiction, setting is generally a physical locale that shapes a story's mood, its emotional aura or quality.

Real or imaginary, concrete or symbolic, a moment or an eternity, setting is the dramatic backdrop for a story.

Why is Setting Important? ***Ask why is it important?

Setting is important because... Setting reveals prevailing atmosphere or mood. If the time or place setting of the story changes, consider how the changes alter the outcome of the story. For example . . . “the birth of a sibling” – setting in the woods versus in a hospital, Would a story that takes place during the Vietnam have the same atmosphere as a story that takes place during Iraq? Would a narrative written by a Jewish girl in 2016 be the same as one written by Jewish girl in the 1940’s? What about if that same girl was living in Germany? In America?

Setting is important because... Setting shows internal and external conflicts. ***Give me a setting that highlights an external conflict (hunting/woods/stormy day/high school gym/spooky house), ***Give me a setting that highlights an internal conflict (alone in a room/building something/packing) – How can you describe these settings in a way that maximizes what you want the reader to feel?

Setting is important because... How can we use setting to foreshadow the fate of the protagonist? ***Pick one “theme” and create a setting based on that theme (in four sentences): If our theme is Prejudice, Love, Happiness, Good vs. Evil. Setting can determine the fate of the protagonist. Setting often embodies theme.

What types of inferences can we make about the story? If Victor Frankenstein does all of his experiments in "a solitary chamber, or rather a cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a staircase.“ What types of inferences can we make about the story? ***we might conclude that there is something anti-social, isolated, and stale, maybe even unnatural, about his project and his way of learning.

Roles of Setting: as a mirror to reflect what is going on inside the characters as a mold to shape the characters into who they are Mirror – Reflect the inside (make the physical setting reflect what is going on inside the character and who the character is– Give me an example – Use Ferris Beuller & Cameron’s bedrooms as an example) Mold – If a narrative is about bullying, your setting can act as a mold. Show has this particular setting changed you.

Setting may also act... as a challenge providing a test for the character to reveal his or her true self Challenge – literally, mountain climbing – possibly hunting in extreme conditions, ziplining and overcoming fear

Setting may also act... as an escape which allows more whimsical and fantastic parts of the character to be expressed. Dreaming - fantasy

Another impact of setting: An external force may enter the setting and change it, causing conflict for the characters. Suddenly something happens that causes a secondary conflict – “a storm approaches”

Setting may also act... as an antagonist, causing conflict with the main character. Moving from one setting to another

Internal and External – making decisions between settings, etc. Two settings may also come into conflict with each other, causing conflict in the characters who must live in them and perhaps have to choose between them.

Types of Setting Physical Setting Cultural Setting Historical Setting Geographical Setting Cultural Setting Historical Setting We talked about the importance of setting. Now give me examples of types of setting – Think broad.

Physical Setting Time of day Season Weather / Temperature Indoors/Outdoors

Physical Setting: Objects Colors Imagery—5 senses Type of room/building Objects Colors Imagery—5 senses Stress 5 senses

Geographical Setting Location, including country (Japan, Mexico, Scotland) region (north/south, upper/lower end) state/ city neighborhood street floor/level (basement, attic etc...) urban / rural / suburban

Cultural Setting: the values, ideals, and attitudes of a place Physical Cultural Setting & Non-Physical Cultural Setting Consider “What It Means to Say Pheonix, Arizona” – ***Give me examples of physical cultural setting & non-physical cultural setting (with partner) Physical – the actual physical reservation, non-physical – economic class – Is it important to understand some cultural aspects of setting in this case? What if you knew absolutely nothing at all about Native Americans? Would it change the story for you in any way?

Physical Cultural Setting: Dialogue Clothing Iconography Routines Decoration All of these factors establish the physical cultural setting.

Non-physical cultural setting: Education Social standing Economic class Religious belief These factors establish the non-physical cultural setting.

Historical Setting Time period/Year Reign of a leader or President Role of government Major historical events These historical factors can establish a psychological or sociological understanding of behaviors and attitudes.

Historical Setting Transportation Crop yield Epidemics Wars Economy More Historical factors: Transportation Crop yield Epidemics Wars Economy Natural disasters

A note about time: Clock time: this can be used to provide suspense or create certain moods or feelings—time is also an important literary symbol. Seasonal time: the seasons or a span of time associated with a particular activity may be important as a symbol. Clock Time – Providing Suspense in narrative (spending 24 hours in an airplane, counting down the hours until you have to leave a place) – Seasonal: Winter (Despair & Hope), Spring (joy & love), Summer (reflection), Autumn (Bounty and change)

"Every story would be another story, and unrecognizable if it took up its characters and plot and happened somewhere else... Fiction depends for its life on place. Place is the crossroads of circumstance, the proving ground of, What happened? Who's here? Who's coming?..." --Eudora Welty Think about your narrative – Do you think it would be different if it happened somewhere else? Make sure your setting makes us better understand your growth.

How will your setting function?

Van Gogh, Bedroom at Arles

Munch, The Scream

Grant Wood, American Gothic