Glossary
Atmosphere
The overall feeling or environment created by the setting and events in a literary work. It's the 'vibe' an author establishes through sensory details and descriptions.
Example:
The eerie silence and decaying grandeur of the old mansion created a chilling atmosphere that foreshadowed the dark secrets within its walls.
Mood
The emotional tone of a literary work, specifically how the reader feels while experiencing the text. It is often influenced by the atmosphere created by the setting.
Example:
The author's vivid descriptions of a stormy night, complete with crashing thunder and howling winds, evoked a mood of intense suspense and fear in the reader.
Reflecting Events
When the setting's conditions or changes mirror the emotional state of characters or significant developments in the plot, often creating a sense of harmony or irony.
Example:
As the lovers finally reunited, the sudden burst of sunshine after days of rain served as the setting reflecting events, emphasizing the joy and hope of their reconciliation.
Setting and Contextual Meaning
The idea that the social, historical, and cultural context of a setting can significantly alter the interpretation and implications of events or actions within a narrative.
Example:
A public display of affection between two people would have a vastly different setting and contextual meaning in a conservative 1950s town compared to a progressive modern city.
Setting as a Determinant
The concept that a story's setting directly influences and shapes the resources, opportunities, and limitations available to characters, thereby impacting their motivations and development.
Example:
In a dystopian novel, the scarcity of clean water in the arid wasteland acts as a setting as a determinant, forcing characters to make desperate choices for survival.
Setting as a Revealer of Character
The way a character's environment, such as their home or workplace, provides insight into their social status, personality traits, values, and lifestyle.
Example:
The protagonist's meticulously organized, minimalist apartment, devoid of personal clutter, served as a setting as a revealer of character, hinting at their disciplined and perhaps emotionally reserved nature.
Setting as an Active Participant
When the setting in a story is so crucial that it functions almost like a character itself, creating obstacles, providing opportunities, or driving the plot forward.
Example:
In a survival narrative, the relentless, unforgiving wilderness becomes a setting as an active participant, constantly challenging the protagonist and forcing them to adapt or perish.
Symbolic Seasons
The use of different seasons within a narrative to add deeper, often archetypal, symbolic meaning to events, character development, or themes.
Example:
The story's climax occurring during a harsh winter, with its imagery of death and dormancy, utilized symbolic seasons to underscore the protagonist's profound loss and despair.