the element of setting

Hey, everyone. Today, I want to talk about an element of writing that sometimes gets overshadowed: Setting. It’s discussed less often when compared to other literary elements like characterization, plot, theme, etc., but care for setting often strengthens all of these, and leads to a more fully realized final work. First, some definitions and examples.

Setting is the place and time (or the places and the times) within a piece. So for something like The Great Gatsby, the settings are Gatsby’s estate, the Valley of Ashes, and other spots in West and East Egg. It’s also the mid-1920s and times of day (often night is when its most iconic scenes take place). The opulence of the locations contrasts with the emptiness of the characters in their pursuit of that opulent lifestyle: we see, over and over, that despite this lavish world they’re in, not one of the characters are happy. They always want more. Showcasing the totalizing way that money can control one’s world, Nick remarks that even the flowers smelled “like pale gold.”

As another example, the poem “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge takes place in a dreamlike version of the ruler’s court and its surrounding areas: a “stately pleasure dome,” a “deep, romantic chasm,” “caves of ice,” and so on. The poem is a journey into the speaker’s imagination, where he is constantly attempting to form something meaningful and grand from his messy ideas and cryptic dreams, so it makes sense for the imagery of the poem to be otherworldly and weighty.

Those are some ways that setting can be used to influence tone, theme, and characterization, but it can do all these things and more, as well. One of the best examples of the scope of setting’s potential is the action-adventure manga One Piece, where setting always plays a major role in the resolution of the story. How Luffy, the main character, defeats the villain of each story arc is only possible through the writer’s use of setting. For example, the Alabasta arc is about a civil war spurred on by the hidden crime boss Crocodile, who has been manipulating the rebellion unseen. So, the final battle between Luffy and Crocodile takes place in a ruin underneath the streets of the capital, ending with Crocodile—the secret leader of an underground criminal organization—being punched upwards, out of the ruin, into the light of the surface. Another villain, Doflamingo, considered himself a god and reigned from on high, and so is defeated by being smacked out of the sky, brought down to the level of his subjects. Luffy’s opponent Katakuri, who in many ways is shown as a reflection of our main character, is literally fought in a hall of mirrors.

In a genre where so many fights simply take place in empty fields, it’s nice to see One Piece take special attention to the settings of each story. Each one is rewarded by becoming more cohesive through this careful attention and planning. I hope this post was helpful in showing some cool ways that setting can be used deliberately to elevate a piece’s themes, emotions, and even its story. Thanks for reading!

Brady Alexander is a Fall 2021 Editorial Intern at the tiny journal. He’s interested a lot in works that link up disparate worlds and form connections, showing new perspectives and allowing space for vulnerability and learning. When he needs to unwind and reconnect with nature, one of his favorite places to go is the biomechanical falls in the Ohio State Park.