Essay on Eng 102 Short Story

Are the characters influenced by their setting? How might they behave if they were in a different setting?

Every story has a setting. Whether it is in this world or one that is completely imaginary, the setting of any story is necessary in order to understand the characters. The characters in the following three short stories are shaped by their setting and would not be the same if the setting was different. Over the course of each story it is easy to see how vital the setting is in order for the reader to fully understand the characters and their lives. Therefore, while the reader reads these stories they must analyze how the setting affects the characters, the obstacles that the setting creates, and what it tells us about the characters.

1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do not merely summarize the plot.

1. Who is the main character in each book? What qualities does the character have that you relate to or admire? Why?

The stories bear minor similarities and differences that the setting influences the plot development by era and place, main characters backgrounds, and environment /time frame of stories.

Three specific examples of how setting influenced the actions and attitudes of the characters are: The isolation from a civilized world, the mysteries of an unfamiliar place, and different social types being forced to live with one another. How these examples are to be proven will be developed in the following paragraphs.

Throughout the novel they are compassionate and caring to even their enemies in their darkest moments. They also illustrate the dark and unforgiving side of human nature. They show no pity or mercy even while being pleaded too.

• What is the setting (time and place)? How does it factor into the interactions of the characters?

1. Who are the most important characters? Identify the protagonist/antagonist/ Write down important information and characteristics about each one.

characters daily lives than the actual war. While their paths are different they all share

The setting is very important in both stories in that it defines not only the plot, but the characters themselves.

The first character that I feel most represents this for a start, is Cliff. I feel the eccentricity of his personality prohibits him from being happy with the kind of love he has in the relationship with his wife and I feel this is the main reason for the distance between the two characters. Cliff finds happiness in other ways by taking his niece to midafternoon movies and engulfing himself into his documentary work. Cliff is always questioning the intentions behind an action. For example, when he is walking out of the theater with his niece; he turns to her and gives her a simple yet profound piece of advice about teachers. He tells her not to listen to, not to pay attention anything they say, but just to study the way they look like because this is the way for her to see how life is really going to be like. Cliff also question’s the motives of his wife’s brother, Lester. This could be because he is successful and he got this success through unconventional ways that Cliff doesn’t agree with, but I feel deep down inside that Cliff is envious of Lester’s success. Cliff is always questioning and I know that we do not need to mention Aristotle, but he can be seen as thinking on this level, always questioning a motive, never accepting an answer and

The setting of where each plot is set creates different atmospheres, such as in Uglyville, the town is known as dark and unsettling, people hate their physical appearance and the community is in terrible condition. On the other hand, people that lived in PrettyTown are loved and encouraged to have fun and enjoy life. These two examples alone show that each setting creates a different mood in the

Okay. So here comes the first question. What is the setting of the stories and how essential is the setting to the story?

The setting is the time and place where an event or story takes place. Sometimes the setting helps us to understand why things happen in certain circumstances. Even though the characters from these short stories are from different places and have different racial backgrounds, does it affect their actions? “The Storm,” by Kate Chopin and “Sweat,” by Zora Neale Hurston share many similarities but also differ in many ways. The main characters, Calixta and Delia face many struggles in their marriage such as infidelity, or abuse. Setting and race can sometimes influence the actions of characters as read in these stories, but that is not always the case.