英语文学概论Setting

SETTINGOutlineDefinitionFunctionsofSettingTypesofSettingReadingforSettingDefinitionThehistoricalmomentintimeandgeographiclocationinastory.ThebackgroundagainstwhichtheactionofstoryoccursTheElementsofSettingSpecifictimeperiod(staticordynamic)Geographiclocation(realisticorcreated)GeneralenvironmentofthecharactersFunctionsofSettingcreateacertainatmosphererevealtheinnerthoughtofthecharacterhelpportraythecharactersanddevelopthethemeeitherthroughsymbolicsuggestionormoredirectimagery.createacertainatmosphereE.g.forahorrorfilmareusuallyisolated,abandonedorlocationswithahiddenpast,thiscancreateasenseofuncertainandfear.revealtheinnerthoughtofthecharacterE.g.MidnightinParishelpportraythecharactersanddevelopthethemeeitherthroughsymbolicsuggestionormoredirectiE.g.SlumdogMillionaireTypesofSettingPhysicalSettingTemporalSettingCulturalSettingHistoricalSettingPhysicalSettingPhysicalsettingisanaspectofsettingthatpertainstowhereeventsoccurandwherecharactersliveandinteract.GeographyClimate(weather/temperature)ThephysicalobjectsGeographyLocation,includingcountryregionstateorcityneighborhoodstreetflooroflevel(basement,atticetc…)urbanorruralorsuburbanTheenvironmentinwhichthecharacterlivesmayhelpthereadertounderstandthecharacter'smotivesandbehavior.ClimateIthelpstosetthemoodandthescene.Theweathercanreflectthemoodsofthecharacters.Whenpeoplearejoyfulitssunny,flowersareblooming,andthebirdsarealwayschirping.Whenthecharactersareangryorthere’sakillerinthestory,it’salwaysdarkandrainingwiththunderandlightning.TemporalSettingWeneedtoconsiderfourkindsoftimethatmaycarryparticularassociationswiththem:Clocktime:thiscanbeusedtoprovidesuspenseorcreatecertainmoodsorfeelings.Calendartime:theday,month,year,ormoregenerallyadayoftheweekortimeofthemonthmayprovideanunderstandingofwhattakesplaceinapieceofliterature.Seasonaltime:theseasonsoraspanoftimeassociatedwithaparticularactivitymaybeimportant.Historicaltime:aperiodoftimethatisreadilyidentifiablebyparticulareventsandorpersonsthathappenedorexistedduringthattime.CulturalSettingthevalues,ideals,andattitudesofaplaceItisanaspectofsettingthatpertainstothehumanenvironmentamongwhicheventsoccurandamongwhichcharactersliveorinteract.Culturalsettingsmightbedescribedas(1)sustainedconditions(2)collectiveexpectations(3)prevailingnormsamongagroupofpeopleorasocialnetworkasclassifiedbyvariousdistinctionssuchaseducation,socialstanding,economicclass,religiousbeliefE.g.TheBibleissetinancientNear-EasterncultureandclassicalGreco-Romanculture.Thesemayberevealedbyphysicalpropertiesinthesceneorthroughthecharacters'dialogue,thoughts,statements,andbehaviors.HistoricalSettingHistoricalsettingisanaspectofsettingthatpertainstowheneventsoccurandwhencharactersliveorinteract.Timeperiod/yearReignofaleaderorPresidentRoleofgovernmentMajorhistoricaleventsThesehistoricalfactorscanestablishapsychologicalorsociologicalunderstandingofbehaviorsandattitudes.Morehistoricalfactors:transportation,epidemics,wars,economy,naturaldisastersACaseStudy:TheGreatGatsbyThesettinginTheGreatGatsbyisveryimportantbecauseinFitzgerald'sworldsettingrevealscharacter.Physicalsetting:Fitzgeralddividestheworldofthenovelintofourmajorsettings:1.EastEgg;2.WestEgg;3.thevalleyofashes;and4.NewYorkCity.Temporalsetting:Intheyearof1922Culturalsetting:Thenewwoman,Gambling,Prohibition(禁酒时期）Historicalsetting:WorldWarI,theJazzAge,theGoldenTwentiesortheRoaring.Inthisdecade,Americabecamethewealthiestcountryintheworldwithnoobviousrival.ReadingforsettingSometimesthesettingisclearlydescribedbythenarrator.However,someworkswillrequireyoutosearchforclues.Learnabouttheauthorandthetimeandplaceofwriting.Notesuggestivedetails.Noteuniqueusesoflanguageand,perhaps,hiddenreferencestothehistoricalorculturalenvironment.“Everystorywouldbeanotherstory,andunrecognizableifittookupitscharactersandplotandhappenedsomewhereelse…”—EudoraWeltyTHEEND