LF1 - Lesson: The Function of Setting in Long Fiction

Bayou Landscape - painting by Harold Rudolph. A man in a red shirt sits under a large tree.The Function of Setting in Longer Fiction

When you read a novel, how much impact does the setting make on your understanding of the story? How do the details of a setting create the overall mood and atmosphere of a novel and contribute to overall meaning?

Image note: the image to the right is a painting by Harold Rudolph called Bayou Landscape. It was painted in 1879.

Role of Setting in Long Fiction

As we read novels, we begin to notice that novelists are usually more concerned with world-building than short story writers and poets. Because of this, setting tends to play a larger part in the establishment of the mood and atmosphere in a novel. Remember that settings are not only the location details in a novel but also the values associated with the context of the novel. For The Awakening, consider the following two settings of the novel: Grand Isle and New Orleans.

Using The Awakening as an Example of Setting

The first half of the novel takes place on Grand Isle and the second half takes place in New Orleans with a brief return to Grand Isle at the end.

There are some obvious contrasts between the two settings: island versus city probably being the biggest difference between the two. Yet we can delve deeper into the details of each to better understand the mood and atmosphere that Chopin is trying to create.

Consider the following associations with an island setting. When we think about islands, we tend to think of the following:

  1. It’s a vacation.
  2. It’s isolated from the rest of society.
  3. It’s for the wealthy.

With these details in mind, it isn’t surprising that it is on an island that Edna starts to question her role as a wife and mother and take on the emotional interests of Robert Lebrun. The vacation atmosphere as well as the isolation give her a break from her traditional roles to explore an alternative to the Victorian stereotype of what a woman should be. It also suggests that she is in the leisure class because she can afford to take time to ponder how she feels about life.

For the New Orleans setting, we can consider that cities were often seen as places of corruption, so it is fitting here that Edna has an affair with Alcee Arobin. Cities also provide anonymity because of their size, so once again Edna can get lost in and further explore her new self. Finally, it is in the city where Edna finally realizes that she has few options and cannot escape her fate as a late 19th-century middle-class wife and mother.

These associations are part of the world-building that helps to foster character development. 

Practice Activity

As you complete the following activity, keep in mind that you should have already read Kate Chopin's The Awakening. In fact, to fully understand the deeper aspects of the role of setting expected from an AP-level analysis, you will likely want to re-read sections of the book with the setting specifically in mind.

Below, you will find a set of dialog cards. On the front is a description of a setting. Before turning the card over, contemplate how you would answer the following prompt:

  • How does the setting help create the overall mood and atmosphere in this passage?

Take a moment to write out your thoughts. Once you've done so, turn the card over and read the description provided there. Compare your answer to the one found on the back of the card. Did you share insights? Is there anything you overlooked? Make a note of any discrepancies, then move on to the next card and repeat the process. While this may feel like a time-consuming activity, it is well worth the time to really delve into the role of setting.

Final Reflection

With literature, every detail matters. Although it might seem that an author is being longwinded with a setting, these setting details are included to provide a sense of atmosphere and mood to the writing. As you practice analyzing literature, work to bring setting details into your analysis by showing how these descriptions complement the characters and plot development. As you read both The Awakening and your selected novel, be sure to make notes of the setting and reflect on how it helps to create the overall mood of the work.

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