Analyzing Settings in Literature

Setting is very important in literature. It is just as important as character and plot. The setting is usually the place and scenery of the story or the poem and also its time period. This is the platform or the stage in which the character plays their act. By analyzing the setting, you will know what the author wants to tell their readers.

Find the descriptions that the author made about the setting of the story. Notice how the setting is presented also.

After seeing the descriptions, you have to analyze why the author chose to describe the setting that way. What is the intent of the author for choosing those certain words?

The setting can also affect the plot. You have to recognize this in the story. The setting is an essential part of pushing the plot forward.

The author might present an image that is related to the setting. You just have to focus on the texts. You might question why the author presented this image. There might be a meaning behind that particular text.

The time period is also a part of the setting. Analyze the time period of the literature. There are customs, attitudes and places that are different for a specific time period.

Sometimes you can see the theme through the description of the setting. The use of imagery, the words and the language will define the story and its theme.