Setting It RightSetting It Right

What is setting?Why use it?

What is setting?Why use it?

Of Mice and Men pg. 17Of Mice and Men pg. 17

“The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with blankets…”

“The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against walls were eight bunks, five of them made up with blankets…”

The Joy Luck Club pg. 48-49

The Joy Luck Club pg. 48-49

“The Huangs’ house also sat next to the river. While our house had been flooded, their house was untouched…I saw a large courtyard with three or four rows of small, low buildings…I walked closer and stared at the house that would by my home for the rest of my life…”

“The Huangs’ house also sat next to the river. While our house had been flooded, their house was untouched…I saw a large courtyard with three or four rows of small, low buildings…I walked closer and stared at the house that would by my home for the rest of my life…”

Joy Luck Club pg. 90Joy Luck Club pg. 90

“We lived on Waverly Place, in a warm, clean, two-bedroom flat that sat above a small Chinese bakery specializing in steamed pastries and dim sum. In the early morning, when the alley was still quiet, I could smell fragrant red beans as they were cooked down to a pastry sweetness…”

“We lived on Waverly Place, in a warm, clean, two-bedroom flat that sat above a small Chinese bakery specializing in steamed pastries and dim sum. In the early morning, when the alley was still quiet, I could smell fragrant red beans as they were cooked down to a pastry sweetness…”

How do I add setting?How do I add setting?

1. Read the following two examples.2. Decide which example keeps you

more interested.3. Explain why.

1. Read the following two examples.2. Decide which example keeps you

more interested.3. Explain why.

Example 1Example 1Tom looked at Jason.“This can’t be the place,” Tom said nervously.The dark house loomed before them, brightened

eerily by the glow of the full moon. A broken sign, confirming the address, hung crookedly on the front of the rusty fence that surrounded the weed-choked property. The place looked to be 200 years old. A gust of wind blew one of the shutters, making it creak.

“Sam said to meet him here,” Jason said.“You sure you want to join this club?” said Tom.“If we want to be investigators, I suppose this is

a good place to start, said Jason. He forced a smile. “Let’s go inside…”

Tom looked at Jason.“This can’t be the place,” Tom said nervously.The dark house loomed before them, brightened

eerily by the glow of the full moon. A broken sign, confirming the address, hung crookedly on the front of the rusty fence that surrounded the weed-choked property. The place looked to be 200 years old. A gust of wind blew one of the shutters, making it creak.

“Sam said to meet him here,” Jason said.“You sure you want to join this club?” said Tom.“If we want to be investigators, I suppose this is

a good place to start, said Jason. He forced a smile. “Let’s go inside…”

Example 2Example 2Tom looked at Jason.“This can’t be the place,” Tom said nervously. The dark

house loomed before them, brightened eerily by the glow of the full moon.

“Sam said to meet him here,” Jason said. “That’s the address.” He pointed at the broken sign on the rusty iron fence that surrounded the weed-choked property.

Tom swallowed hard. “You sure you want to join this club?” He looked at the house again. “That place must be 200 years old.” He shuddered as a gust of wind blew one of the shutters and made it creak.

“If we want to be investigators, I suppose this is a good place to start,” said Jason. He forced a smile. “Let’s go inside…”

Tom looked at Jason.“This can’t be the place,” Tom said nervously. The dark

house loomed before them, brightened eerily by the glow of the full moon.

“Sam said to meet him here,” Jason said. “That’s the address.” He pointed at the broken sign on the rusty iron fence that surrounded the weed-choked property.

Tom swallowed hard. “You sure you want to join this club?” He looked at the house again. “That place must be 200 years old.” He shuddered as a gust of wind blew one of the shutters and made it creak.

“If we want to be investigators, I suppose this is a good place to start,” said Jason. He forced a smile. “Let’s go inside…”

The best way to describe a setting is by weaving descriptions in with the action. In this way the action keeps moving. When too much description is given in a paragraph, readers often skip over it so they can continue with the action. By weaving description in with action, details of the setting are given and the action keeps moving.

The best way to describe a setting is by weaving descriptions in with the action. In this way the action keeps moving. When too much description is given in a paragraph, readers often skip over it so they can continue with the action. By weaving description in with action, details of the setting are given and the action keeps moving.