1. 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.

2. Settings (when) can be specific or general:
more specific:
1820
even more specific:
Winter, 1820
still more specific:
Dec. 20, 1820, 6:28 AM
Setting can also include time of day.

3. Settings (where) can be specific or general:
outside
more specific:
By a river
even more specific:
By the Mississippi River
still more specific:
By the Mississippi River, in a grassy meadow on a high bluff overlooking the river

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Notice that time of day is the same cyclical pattern as time of year and likewise has corresponding symbolic value.
midnight = winter
evening = fall
dawn = spring
noon = summer

8. 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.

9. Classwork:
Get a copy of “The Pedestrian.” Look through the story and identify elements of setting.