Tension In Will Jenkins's 'Uneasy Homecoming'

A common theme throughout the book so far has been moving, whether it be due to the fact that the fake “FBI” is coming after them or that they simply get bored of the location. This passage also reveals that Lori may not always like moving, and tells of “The Prospector.” This however, is not a person but an item, that may make the Walls family rich. Yet, with the family having absolutely no money, I predict that this contraption may never be built. (84 words)

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.

Setting often provides more then just a mere backdrop for the action in the story. It is probably the most important part of the putting together a story. In this story the setting is a reflection of the character as much as the town. The physical setting, time setting and cultural settings are all important parts of this short story,

The spooky outdoor setting is made to prepare the reader for the appearance of a cozy indoors, whereas the landlady’s scary features on the inside are covered up by her warm but deceitful personality. She tricks unsuspecting young men with her generous and very motherly personality.

One of the major symbols in the text is the house the narrator and her husband John choose to rent for their vacation. The setting of the story is a symbol of men’s superiority towards women. In the story, the narrator describes the location of the rented house stating how “it is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village [like the] English places that you read about, for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people” (pg. 34). The location of the

The settings are important in a story because they tell where and when the story takes place. A reader should always focus on the setting, so he will not get lost in the story. In Doris Lessing’s “Through the Tunnel,” the story focuses on a boy named Jerry trying to accomplish something very difficult while his mother wants him to stay safe. He sees some boys swimming through a challenging tunnel and he tries to go through the tunnel to impress them in order to become friends with them. The setting in “Through the Tunnel” has an impact on the characters, the plot, and the symbols.

The author of ‘Homecoming’, Bruce Dawe, illustrates and describes the catastrophes of the Vietnam War in a calm but negative tone. Dawe uses this poem to represent the soldiers and the experiences they went through during WW1. The poetic techniques that he used in this poem “homecoming” were Imagery, Onomatopoeia and Repetition throughout the whole poem. Bruce Dawe helps the readers to understand the theme of how war is bad and a tragic waste of human life. This poem takes the readers to a place in time where our ancestral blood lines fought and lost their lives during WW1, in the hopes that future generations would have a better future in life.

The word “homecoming” is universally associated with a celebration of the returned and is linked to feelings of happiness and anticipation. Dawe however, employs this word ironically as the “homecoming” described in the poem correlates to the death and mourning of the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War and depicts the arrival of their nameless bodies. Through establishing this irony Dawe is about to effectively capture the brutal reality of war and highlight the emotional trauma associated with its dehumanising

The quality and importance of life are looked at by most as a valuable and great gift, but this perception of someone’s life is stated differently by the two poets, David Malouf and Bruce Dawe. The poems Suburban and Homecoming express life through the eyes of two separate groups, one being a ‘stereotypical’ individual and the other, a group of men fighting for their own lives. Poetry offers many hidden meanings within their stories, Suburban and Homecoming are no different offering two distinct takes on the meaning of life. Whether that be shown through war, or a Sunday morning after a long night out, both poems convey the emotions of life, both positively and negatively.

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.

The setting includes place and time. Louise Erdrich’s A Wedge of Shade and A Reptile gives details about different locations and times that collaborate with the characters and stories. The settings describe numerous vivid scenes throughout the story that makes the reader visualize what the protagonists are going through and helps to deliver the desired message. Settings can also be identified as symbols for important ideas. Ideas help transmit the desired message to the reader.

We learn from the first paragraphs that focusing on the scenery will help her forget the nervous depression which she has been diagnosed with: ""So, I will let it [her illness] alone and talk about the house"(947). The main character’s focus on the environment is the reason for which the reader gets plenty of information about the setting.

The setting of the story helps you kind of understand that something is bound to happen that will not be good by the way the house is surrounded, and how the city is surrounded.

While the plot and the theme are always very significant, a reader should never forget the importance of the setting in a story. This short story is a perfect example of the importance of the setting, since it is through it that the reader is able to truly understand the author’s message and intensions. It is through the description of a post-apocalyptic world, a city in ruins and the last house standing, that the reader is able to truly understand the

This kind of technique is effective in increasing tension because it can convey the atmosphere of the scene, important information about the characters and show the audience what the characters are feeling.