Setting plays a very important role in the composition of the whole work of literature. Setting includes the description of time, place, and circumstances under which the story develops. In general, the setting is a background of the events in the writer’s work. Some writers look upon the setting as a real hero of their literary production. Some of them believe that setting just complete and intensify the tone of the literary work. But there is no doubt that all writers pay great attention to trace out the setting of their masterpiece. I for one consider that circumstances are significant in every work. Let us disclose the details of the setting in these stories: “Desirees Baby” by Kate Chopin, “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, and “A & P” by John Updike.
From the point of view of temporal parameters, the acts in these works occur in different years accompanied by various social problems. In the book “Desirees Baby” the writer from Louisana Kate Chopin depicts the difficult years for black people because in 19th-century white people dominated over black ones, who tackled a lot of social and economic problems in their everyday life, who tried to struggle against this injustice, but for whom it was impossible to gain a victory over it. It is easy to contend with people, but it is hard to break the ideology that roots deep in people’s minds and hearts. All the events in this story happen in the French-speaking part of Louisana Cajun, the writer gives French names to her characters to save, to reflect, and to highlight the heritage.
“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara is a first-person narration of a school-girl Sylvia. Through her perception, the reader finds out about the foundations and moral principles of the people of that time. The writer describes the consequences of the abrogation of the segregation laws against African Americans. But in the educational system, this desegregation was promoted not very fast, some African American students were made leave Central High. The children of the story are poor by birth. But all of them understand the value of money. Many of them dream to have another life, full of happiness, joy, and love. A little girl portrays all those horrible actions and gives the reader chance to choose his or her position concerning this problem. But I think the writer says through this work of literature that due to these “cruel” lessons at the beginning of the children’s lives they will become kind, clever, responsible, reliable, and patient citizens of their country in the future.
John Updike in his book “A & P” tells about the life of a checkout clerk Sammy. It is also a first–person narration. Everything that thinks, perceives, and feels the protagonist of this literary work, the reader experiences it by himself or herself. Sammy is an ordinary teenager who works as a cashier. He tackles the problem of the choice. He decides to quit his job, but fear of the unknown future makes him doubt. The whole setting of the work is reached through the description of the institution, where Sammy works, conversations with customers help to understand the atmosphere what this smart boy arranges around himself, his feelings disclose the reader the inner world of Sammy with all fears, small victories, happy smiles, and hopes.
Different writers find their own approaches to describe the setting in their masterpieces. And every their method is a real achievement in literature.