Introduction
In literature, the setting is one of the essential elements, as helps in describing the place, time, and social institution in which a story is developed. In a majority of the stories, the element of setting is considered as being characteristic, as any changes in the setting may have dramatic impacts on the story. The element of setting acts as one of the notable aspects that shape the characters in any given storyline, as it defines specific behaviors and norms that the characters would need to adapt as part of their engagement in these settings. To help in understanding how setting influences character development, this report will focus on three specific stories, which are A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner, Hills like White Elephants by Hemingway, and The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.
Setting and Character Development in
A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner
In this particular story, the description of the setting, as has been provided by Faulkner, gives readers an in-depth understanding of the values and beliefs associated with the characters. The setting acts as a crucial part of the motivations, actions, and reactions undertaken by Miss Emily, who is the main character in the story. The setting is with the post-war period is a small town in the United States referred to as Jefferson, which is considered as a fallen legacy. The setting of this particular story helps in bringing out Miss Emily’s character in the fact that she tends to become very reclusive and introverted. The character is brought out by the death of her father, as well as, the fact that her house is considered as being an eyesore, according to the description given.
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Majority of the people in the town tend to view Miss Emily as a relic of an older time, which amounts to increased pressure for her to live in a manner that defines the setting. After the death of her father, Miss Emily is forced to keep his dead body within his house, as well as, sleeps next to it every night. She engages in such actions as she tries to maintain the posture of a woman from the south, who is considered as being dignified and proper. However, this only seeks to define her continuous character within the story building on the perception that readers develop of her. Additionally, this also creates a situation where she tends to believe in the fact that she may not be able to change and flatly refuses to change due to the setting in which she lives.
Setting and Character Development in
Hills like White Elephants by Hemingway
In this particular story, the element of setting acts as a critical element that defines the characters of the two main character in the story, who are the American man and the girl. The setting, in the story, is a train station, which is described as a stopping point between Barcelona and Madrid. The adoption of this particular setting is essential towards understanding these two characters, as it acts as a representation of the fact that the man and the girl had a relationship that was at a crossroad. The setting helps in bringing out the true meaning of character as part of the story, as it creates a front through which to determine how both characters behave while in this particular environment.
On the other hand, the story also projects a different setting of white hills and a barren valley, which builds on the perception that indeed this may impact the character development of the two main characters. The contrast created between the white hills and barren value reflects more on the fact that there exists life and death. For the girl, this particular setting helps in her development taking into account that she is pregnant and has the thought of terminating her pregnancy. The presentation of this specific setting enhances the thought-belief of the young girl with the view that this would help her understand the magnitude of her decision. Additionally, this builds on the understanding that indeed the young girl would be in a better position through which to determine how her decision would impact her and those around her including the American man.
Setting and Character Development in
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
The setting in this particular story is within a small village with a population that can be approximated to be about three hundred people. However, this remains unknown, as the author does not provide this description of the setting. The setting helps in promoting character development, as it seeks to highlight the fact that a majority of the people living there are experiencing high levels of poverty. That creates a situation where it becomes imperative for people to participate in the lottery conducted by Mr. Summers. The main character, in the story, hold the view that their engagement in the lottery acts as a clear reflection of the fact that indeed they would be able to overcome the challenges that they are facing while living within this rural setting.
On the other hand, the setting also reflects on the fact that the main characters in the story are portrayed as being friendly and kind with the view that the lottery helps towards bringing the people together. The main characters, who are the boys, Mr. Summers, and Mr. Graves, are portrayed as being unique in their understanding of what it means to bring out the friendly nature of this particular village. Additionally, these characters also project the fact that indeed the village can also be viewed as being ironic considering that the setting reflects more on the fact that the village projects hypocrisy and brutality. These themes are not brought out by the characters meaning that indeed the setting enhances their ability to hide their inner characters regardless of the fact this is a norm in the village years after supposed civilization.
Conclusion
In summary, the setting of any given story is essential, as it seeks to build on the growing perception of character development. The setting acts as a critical determinant of the behaviors and norms that the characters can adopt as part of their connection to the story. In the three stories used as part of this report, it is evident that the settings in which the stories have been developed tend to have critical influences on the characters. The settings tend to define how the characters are expected to behave considering that the settings tend to build up pressures for individual characters. The analysis suggests that indeed setting is one of the essential elements in projecting character development.
