Focus Lesson 22

Setting

What is a Setting?

The setting is the time and place in which the events of a story

occur.

Why is It Important to Understand the Setting Within a Story?

Answer:

A setting helps make a complete picture of the surroundings where the characters exist. The setting can also create a symbol for the story’s mood, tempo, or conflict within the story.

The Goal

The goal of any author is to make you understand the story by being in touch with the story’s environment, and being able to relate to the story or character’s feelings or moods.

Key Setting Elements

• Time

• Place

• Weather

• Sights

• Sounds

• Smells

• The right setting elements can create the perfect mood for your story... or the worst!

Time is Relative

What year is it? (1776, 1876, 1976, or 2076?)

What’s the date? (December 24th, July 4th, February 2nd, or

October 31st?) What time of day is it?

(9:00 am, 12:00 pm, 8:00 pm, or 3:00 am?)

The Place

Indoors or Outdoors? (Inside a barn or outside in a cornfield?

Imaginary or Real? (Wonderful World of Oz or Lexington,

Kentucky?)

Other Important Details: Weather

Other Important Details:Sights

Other Important Details:Sounds

• The wind?• Talking?• Shouting?• Singing?• Washing machine?• Snoring?• A sizzling frying pan?

Other Important Details:Smells

Each Detail is Equally Important

Different settings create different moods and evoke different feelings in readers.

– Example 1: A violent thunderstorm outside can create a dramatic effect.

– Example 2: A sunny day might create a pleasant mood.

– Example 3: A vile smell might create an unpleasant mood.

– Example 4: A cemetery might evoke a quiet, somber, or sad mood.

“Setting the Mood”

In the next few slides, I will show you some pictures. I want you to write down what type of intended mood these settings could help

establish.

You try it!

1.) Select a random mood(keep it a secret!)

2.) Write out your setting!

3.) Make sure that your setting helps establish the mood that you’ve chosen

4.) Illustrate your setting

5.) Everyone will come around and see if they can guess what mood your

setting helps establish!

The End!