The setting of a story is the place and time in which the story happens. The setting is described by the author so the reader can more clearly get a mental picture of the scene, and enter “the world” of the story.

Settings can be specific or general: more specific: 1820 even more specific: Winter, 1820 still more specific: Dec. 20, 1820, 6:28 AM

Setting can include not just time and place, but also general locations, such as outside or inside, or in a specific room, such as a kitchen or an operating room. Also, weather, when mentioned, is a part of a story’s setting.

Certain aspects of setting are included to give the reader a clearer picture what the author has in mind. Seasons—spring, summer, fall (autumn), winter—often suggest, symbolically, how a reader should feel about the subject.

Spring: symbolizes birth or rebirth; when a story takes place in spring, it is supposed to seem optimistic (positive). Summer: symbolizes the vitality or excitement of life in full swing; again, this is optimistic symbolism. Fall (autumn): symbolizes withering or decaying—impending death. Usually pessimistic (negative). Winter: symbolic of death; usually pessimistic.

Mood Setting can contribute to mood Mood is the feeling (or atmosphere) created by the story. It can suggest happiness, grief, fear, tension, or any other emotions.

Assignment: On a separate sheet of paper: 1. List all the elements of SETTING you can think of in “The Pedestrian.” 2. Then, from what we have seen in Of Mice and Men so far, describe the setting of our novel.