+ Setting

+ Regionalism and Naturalism Regionalism-A regional writer often sets his stories or narratives in the same geographical region. Example- Faulkner, Willa Cather Naturalism – Writing based on the assumption that the social and economic circumstances determine human behavior. Examples: Jack London, Theodore Dreiser and Stephen Cane

+ Setting Time - the hour, year, century and social environment connected to the story. ( Example: Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter- the Puritan community of Boston in the early 17 th century) What might seem acceptable in one time is highly suspect or objectionable in others. Place- the physical environment of the story, its locale such as house, street, city, or region

+ Historical Fiction An imagined narrative is set in an actual physical time with characters who actually lived. A mixture of fictional and real historical events is the hallmark of the historical novel.

+ Weather- Natural Environment The actual natural environment affects the actions and events of the story and may serve as a symbol. Example: “To Build a Fire”

+ Atmosphere- the dominant mood or feeling that pervades all parts of the literary work. It is related to the total effect conveyed by the author's use of language, images, and physical setting. Aspects of the physical setting are usually crucial elements for achieving the author’s intention. The setting may be drawn to evoke a specific mood or emotion in the reader. Example: stories by Edgar Allen Poe

+ Source: Glau, Gregory R., Barry M. Maid, and Duane Roen. The McGraw-Hill Guide Writing for College, Writing for Life. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.