2. TOPICS TO COVER
WHAT IS SETTINGS?
TYPES OF SETTINGS
THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTINGS
CONCLUSION
3. What is Setting?
A SETTING IS THE TIME AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION WITHIN A NARRATIVE, EITHER
NON-FICTION OR FICTION. IT IS A LITERARY ELEMENT.
• THE SETTING INITIATESTHE MAIN BACKDROPAND MOOD FOR A STORY.
• THE SETTINGCAN BE REFERREDTO AS STORY WORLDTO
INCLUDE A CONTEXT BEYONDTHE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGSOFTHE STORY.
• ELEMENTSOF SETTING MAY INCLUDE CULTURE, HISTORICAL PERIOD, GEOGRAPHY,
AND HOUR.
4. Types of Setting
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF SETTING, EACH HAVING ITS OWN PURPOSE.
• BACKDROP SETTING
• INTEGRAL SETTING
5. BACKDROP SETTINGS
• BACKDROP SETTING IS SETTING THAT IS VISUALLY IMAGINATIVE AND APPEALING TO THE
AUDIENCE BUT IS NOT SIGNIFICANT TO THE PLOT OF THE STORY.
• READERS CAN KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE READING A BACKDROP SETTING DESCRIPTION
IF THE SETTING IS NOT DESCRIBED IN GREAT DETAIL OR DEVELOPED, AND THE PLOT OF THE
STORY COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE.
• THIS TYPE OF SETTING IS OFTEN NONSPECIFIC AS SUCH IT COULD BE ANY CITY OR ANY
COUNTRYSIDE, NOR DOES IT DENOTE ANY SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD.
• BACKDROP SETTINGS ARE COMMONLY USED IN STORIES THAT ARE VERY CHARACTER
DRIVEN.
6. INTEGRAL SETTINGS
• INTEGRAL SETTING IS A SETTING THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE PLOT OF THE STORY OR
SCRIPT.
• THIS MEANS THAT THE STORY COULD NOT TAKE PLACE IN A DIFFERENT SETTING OR THAT
A DESCRIBED SECTION OF THE SETTING WILL BECOME AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PLOT.
• INTEGRAL SETTING IS TYPICALLY DESCRIBED IN GREAT DETAIL, REFERRED TO OFTEN
THROUGHOUT THE STORY, OR IS USED TO MOVE THE STORY ALONG, SET THE MOOD OR
TO REVEAL A THEME.
• INTEGRAL SETTING IS ALSO USED TO ALERT READERS WHEN SETTING IS SIGNIFICANT.
• WHEN USED EFFECTIVELY, READERS WILL NOTE KEY ASPECTS OF THE SETTING BECAUSE
THEY ARE DESCRIBED IN FULL DETAIL OR REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE STORY.
7. THE IMPORTANCE OF
SETTINGS
• SETTING GIVES CONTEXT TO THE CHARACTER'S ACTIONS IN A STORY LINE.
• IT CAN ALSO CREATE THE MOOD SO THAT ONE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THE READER OR
VIEWER FEELS.
• IT’S EASIER TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY ARE DOING WHAT
THEY’RE DOING WHEN WE KNOW WHERE THE THEY ARE.
• THE TIME OF DAY, TIME OF YEAR, AND AGES OF THE CHARACTERS WILL ALSO AFFECT HOW
THEY ACT AND WHAT THEY SAY.
8. CONCLUSION
• SETTING IS AN IMPORTANT LITERARY DEVICE THAT IS OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED OR
EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD.
• CREATING CLEAR DEPICTIONS OF TIME AND PLACE IN A STORY CREATES MOOD AND
MOVES THE STORY ALONG.
• WITHOUT SETTING, THE PLOT LINE WOULD BE CONFUSING AND BORING.
• A KEY ELEMENT OF A STRONG SETTING IS USING DESCRIPTIVE DETAILS TO PULL ON THE
READER’S SENSES.
