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What Is Setting

Setting in literature encompasses the time, place, and environment of a story, influencing mood, character behavior, and symbolism. It can range from specific historical periods to imaginary worlds and may include elements like weather that enhance the narrative. Some authors, particularly regional writers, create vivid depictions of specific locales, while others may intentionally minimize setting to focus on broader themes.

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27 views3 pages

What Is Setting

Setting in literature encompasses the time, place, and environment of a story, influencing mood, character behavior, and symbolism. It can range from specific historical periods to imaginary worlds and may include elements like weather that enhance the narrative. Some authors, particularly regional writers, create vivid depictions of specific locales, while others may intentionally minimize setting to focus on broader themes.

Uploaded by

gitashreeboruah059
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is Setting (Milieu) in Literature?

Setting refers to the time and place in which a story takes place. Sometimes it
also includes the weather or the overall environment. But setting is more than
just the background—it can help create the mood of the story, reflect the
emotions of the characters, or even become a powerful symbol.

1. Time and Place


• The time can be anything—from a specific hour in a day to a historical
period or even an entire century.
• The place could be a city, a village, a room, or even an imaginary world.
• Writers carefully choose the right time and place depending on what
kind of story they’re telling. For example, a story set in the 1800s will feel
very different from one set in a modern city.

2. More Than Just a Backdrop


In good stories, the setting can:
• Influence how characters behave.
• Help build the story’s atmosphere (e.g., a dark forest can create fear).
• Represent something deeper—like culture, memory, or identity.
For example, in the story “Sweet Rice”, the setting is London. But it’s not just
the city where the character lives—it reflects her inner emotions, her routines,
and her sense of being far from home. Places like Safeway, Marks & Spencer,
or York Street show her everyday life. Meanwhile, the India Office Library
connects her to her past and cultural identity. So here, the setting carries
emotional and historical meaning.

3. Regional Writers
Some writers always set their stories in the same region or area. These are
called regional writers.
Examples:
• Thomas Hardy often wrote about the countryside of Wessex in England.
• William Faulkner set all his stories in Mississippi, USA.
Through their detailed descriptions, these writers make their regions feel real
and alive to readers.

4. Role of Weather
Weather can also be an important part of the setting. For instance:
• Rain might create sadness or a feeling of being trapped.
• Heat can show tension or discomfort.
• Snow might give a sense of silence or loneliness.

5. Naturalism
Some writers use setting to show how people are shaped by their surroundings
and heredity (family background). This style of writing is called Naturalism.
In such stories, characters often seem like they have no control over their lives,
as if they’re trapped by where they come from and the world around them.
Examples: Theodore Dreiser and Thomas Hardy again.

6. Setting Can Be Left Out on Purpose


Some authors don’t describe the setting clearly. Why? To create a fable-like or
timeless feel.
Example: In Somerset Maugham’s story “The Appointment in Samarra,” the
marketplace in Baghdad is not described. That’s because the focus is not on
the place, but on the idea of death.

In Summary:

Aspect Description

Definition Time, place, and environment in which a story occurs.


Aspect Description

More than background; can influence plot, mood, or


Function
symbolism.

Time Can range from an hour to several centuries.

Place Could be real or imagined; some writers focus on one region.

Weather Can add to mood or meaning.

Naturalism Setting shapes characters’ lives and limits their choices.

Fable-like
Sometimes setting is minimized or skipped for effect.
Stories

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