第五讲Setting

DefiningSetting:WhereProtagonistandAntagonistMeet1.DefiningSetting-Thesettingisthetimeandplace,orseriesoftimeandplaces,whereprotagonistandantagonistmeet.Theeventsinastorymustoccurinsomeplaceandatsometimeandcannothappeninavacuum.-Inotherwords,settingisthestageagainstwhichthestoryunfolds.2.RevealingSetting-Thewritersmustgivevividdetailsaboutsettingforthecharactersandplot.-Moreoftenthannot,however,ashortstorywriterdoesnotclarifythesetting.Rather,readerslearnaboutsettingbyinference,throughhints.-Readersmuststudythecluestoseehowthewriterrevealstheimportantelementsofsetting.3.TheFunctionsofSetting1)SettingasaBackgroundforAction2)SettingasanAntagonist3)SettingasaMeansofCreatingAppropriateAtmosphere4)SettingasaMeansofRevealingCharacter5)SettingasaMeansofReinforcingTheme1)SettingasaBackgroundforAction1.Everythinghappenssomewhere.Time,location,andthephysicalfeaturesofasettingcanallberelevanttotheoverallpurposeofastory.2.Thedetailshechoosestoindicatearenecessarilyrelatedtosomelargerpurposes,suchasthestory’smeaning.3.Knowingsomethingaboutthesocial,economic,educational,religiousandfamilybackgroundofpeoplehelpsunderstandwhytheyactastheydo.2)SettingasanAntagonist-Often,theforcesofsocietyandnaturefunctionasanantagonist,helpingtoestablishconflictandtodeterminetheoutcomeofevents.-In“Araby”Joycepresentsthesetting---Dublinasableakcitywheretheboystrugglesagainstoppressiveforces.“AWornPath”issetonafrozendayinDecemberalongapathwhereanoldblackwomanwalksslowlyandhastoovercomethetrialsshefaces.Theyareexamplesofsettingthatfunctionsasanantagonist.YukonwildernesswithwhichJackLondon’snamelesstenderfoottriesunsuccessfullytobuildafireisan3)SettingasaMeansofCreatingAppropriateAtmosphere-Settingcanbeusedtoevokeamoodoratmospherethatwillpreparethereaderforwhattocome.-Somesettingshavetraditionalassociations.Adventuresflourishinthesoilofsomeexoticland.Flowers,blueseasandsunshinebringourthoughtsofloveinromanticstories,whilegraves,abandonedhouses,howlingwindsandthunderstormstriggerfearinmysterystories.-Sometimes,however,writersreversetraditionalexpectations.Whenatranquil,lovelygardenisthesceneforabloodymurder,thereaderwillbeshockedbysurpriseasthecharactersinthestory.4)SettingasaMeansofRevealingCharacter-Theparticularsettingcanmirroracharacter’ssenseofisolation,loneliness,frustration,andconfusion.-Veryoftenthewayinwhichacharacterperceivesthesetting,andthewayhereactstoit,willtellthereadermoreaboutthecharacterandhisstatesofmindthanthesettingitself.5)SettingasaMeansofReinforcingThemeSettingcanalsobeusedtoreinforceandclarifythethemeofastory.In“TheEgg”,“Araby”,“AWornPath”,and“InAnotherCountry”,thereadercandiscoverthatthesesettingshavedirectthematicrelevancetotheauthors’conceptionsorattitudes.Historical-BiographicalApproach-Thisapproachseesaliteraryworkchieflyasareflectionofitsauthor’slifeandtimes.-Theapproachdescribesandevaluatesaworkintermsofthesocial,culturalandhistoricalcontextinwhichitwasproduced.-Aknowledgeofthework’sbackgroundandtheauthor’slifewillhelpclarifyfactualreferencesandallusionsintheworkandfacilitatethereader’scomprehensionofit.ForExample,1.Hemingway’s“TheSunAlsoRises”and“InAnotherCountry”willbebetterunderstoodifthereaderknowsabouthisexperienceduringthe1stWorldWarandtheLostGeneration.2.HarrietBeecherStowe’s“UncleTom’sCabin”ismuchmoremovingtoreaderswhoknowabouttheinhumanslaverysysteminAmerica.-Therefore,aknowledgeoftheauthor’spersonalhistoryandlifeexperiencewillplayanimportantrolebecausetheauthorwritesintohisworkswhathappentohimpersonallyandhowhefeelsandthinks.