A setting is defined as the
context and environment in which a situation is set; the background. Setting, the location and time
of a story, is often listed as one of the fundamental elements of fiction.
Sometimes setting is referred to as milieu, to include a context (such
as society) beyond the immediate surroundings of the story. In some cases,
setting becomes a character itself and can set the tone of a story
Element of
setting :
a) place - geographical
location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?
The Importance of Setting :
- Setting
affect the plot of the story
Setting is a key role in
plot. By focusing on changes in the setting, the plot can move forward. Plot
can be extremely affected by the setting of a story and even become a part of
the story. It's the setting for all that is to come and even if it's one set on
stage, it can convey so much about who the people are and the way they live.
Just as in a film, countryside can be a character of its own. But it can also
affect plot in other ways.
- Setting influence
characterization
The setting is definitely important when
looking at character development and conflict. A character living in a run-down
area is going to have a different personality.
Setting influence the developmental of
characters by expressing a character's nature metaphorically through the
character's setting.
Where we live shapes who we are. Different
areas of the country have different dialects, viewpoints and expectations.
Different countries and time periods even more so. For an example, look at the
western--whether the story is set in the present or the past, the characters
are influenced by the western setting. The reader expects a certain type of
character within that setting. Even if you go against type and create a
character opposite of what is usually found there, the difference itself
characterizes. Why is that person different than everyone else in a particular
setting? There must be a reason, and that reason should be a prime focus in
your characterization. The setting can affect a change upon a character.
- Setting can enhance tension by
darkening the mood of the story(it was a dark and stormy night),
introducing a threatening element(oh no, the stairs to the basement have
just collapsed), creating a mystery(is the house really haunted?),
overturning previous character expectations(she wasn't the typical
southern belle) or demanding immediate action on the part of a
character(there's a mud slide on the way, we'd better get off this hill).
- Setting can help shape your story idea.
Many writers start with a setting they like
and advance from there. For instance, an interest in Alaska would lead to
research on that state. For an historical writer that research could lead to
the most volatile period in recent history, the gold rush. From there, the
writer can do more research and discover countless plots to set during that
period.
- Setting can create atmosphere and mood.
From the very outset of your story, use the
setting to clue the reader into the atmosphere for each scene. Gothic story are
very good at using setting to create a certain mood. Use a bright, cheery
setting to set a happy mood, or to contrast the deep secrets within your
tortured hero. The atmosphere you create at the outset can be a unifying strand
throughout the middle of your book and straight into the ending. The final mood
you leave with your reader should stay with them after they've closed the book.
the setting is in my opinion the key piece. The time, place, circumstance, and
environment are keys to successful storytelling. Without the setting, stories
would just be words. The images come from the era the story takes place, the
place the characters are, the environment is which the characters live, and the
circumstances in which the characters face.
Setting form :
- SYMBOL, SYMBOLISM
A symbol is something that stands for something else.
Unlike ALLEGORY, symbolism is multi-dimensional--it may convey a number of
meanings. The symbol of the great white whale in Herman Melville's Moby Dick,
for example, may stand for the devil, nature, the forces of the universe or ?
- ALLEGORY
A literary work where the SETTING, CHARACTERS or
ACTION make sense on a literal level, but also convey an abstract level of
meaning, which is usually religious or political in nature. Unlike METAPHORS
and SYMBOLS, an allegorical setting, character or action is one-dimensional: it
stands for only one thing. Parables, fables and satires are all forms of
allegory
“Setting wraps the story in a package that provides
plot & character clues and motivations and instigators that hold the story
elements together in a cohesive unit.”
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