We’ve already talked about how characters, plot, and conflict are frequent sources of literary themes. But one building block of storytelling that we haven’t covered yet is setting. It’s as important as the other three “blocks,” using location, time period, and other elements to play a pivotal role in the external conflict and the protagonist’s internal struggles. But did you know that setting can also influence the big-picture ideas that a story explores?
We’ll learn how in today’s edition of Developing Themes in Your Stories. Like with past articles, we’ll use examples from published novels to learn how their authors delivered some of their story’s themes through unique settings. Then, if you’d like, try some brainstorming and writing activities that are included to see how your story’s setting can be a conduit for theme.
The Five Facets of Setting
Most writers might think of setting as the “where” of a story. Setting has more layers than its location, though. It also covers the “when” of a story, since the time period and season can create obstacles to a character’s story-goal pursuit and introduce cultural and societal norms. And like real-life locations, a story’s setting can have its own unique issues (e.g., racial tensions, war, poverty) or purpose. A good example of the latter is the mental hospital in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. The primary purpose of the hospital brings mental health to the thematic forefront through Veronika’s interactions with other patients and her own existential crisis.
So when considering your story’s setting, keep these five “facets” in mind:
- Location: Where does the story take place? What specific locations (buildings, neighborhoods, etc.) are significant to the plot and/or characters?
- Time Period: What year does the story take place? How does this affect the characters or plot in terms of cultural or societal expectations, availability / lack of technology, and other elements that can evolve over time?
- Time of Year: During which month(s) and season(s) does the story occur? Does this present any challenges or obstacles (weather, nature, etc.) that are relevant?
- Purpose: How does the purpose of any particular location influence what happens during the story?
- Other Notable Elements: What societal issues are inherent in this setting? What historical events have transpired here? How do they influence the plot or characters during the story?
Before we answer these questions for our own stories, check out the example settings below. Most, if not all, of the five facets listed above are addressed in each summary:
Jay Kristoff’s Stormdancer (steampunk fantasy) is set on the Shima Isles, a fictional archipelago inspired by feudal Japan. Spirit animals such as thunder tigers once roamed the land. Today, however, the islands are ruled by a ruthless military dictator, and the realm’s dependence on industrialization has led to widespread pollution, deforestation, and disease – as well as the disappearance of its mythical creatures.
Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl (YA / New Adult contemporary) takes place at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where the protagonist Cath and her twin sister Wren are freshmen. The story goes on to show some of the issues that college students can face during their freshman year, from Cath’s tensions with her roommate and struggles with first love and meeting people, to her sister’s increasing drinking habits.
Activity #1: Examine your story’s setting using the Five Facets of Setting. If it helps, answer the sample questions listed with each facet to go as in-depth as possible. Feel free to try this exercise with published novels you’ve read as well.
How Does the Setting Impact the Story?
In order for themes to emerge from a setting, the story has to, in some ways, rely on its setting. In other words, the setting and its unique elements should influence the story to the point that the story would be drastically different – or might not exist at all – if it took place at a different time or location. This is where the Five Facets come in play.
Take a moment to review your story’s plot and characters. (It might be helpful to have a premise sentence or brief synopsis, as well as an idea for the story’s inciting incident.) Then consider how these elements are influenced by the Five Facets. Asking questions such as “What if the story took place 50 years in the past / future?” or “How would the story be different if pollution wasn’t an issue?” can jump-start the process. Or, if the setting’s impact is already evident in your premise or synopsis, consider some “if-then” statements that show how the setting is integral to the story.
In some cases, the answers or “if-then” statements might indicate that little about the story would change. But in others, it will be clear that the plot and the setting are so tightly interwoven that the former needs the latter for its events to make sense.
Let’s take the “if-then” statement approach and get a better understanding of how story and setting are interconnected in our two examples:
Stormdancer: The plot depends heavily on the features of Stormdancer’s fictional world. For example, if thunder tigers weren’t rumored to still exist on the Shima Isles, then the protagonist Yukiko wouldn’t have accompanied her father, an imperial hunter, on a quest to capture one. Nor would she have gotten lost in one of Shima’s last remaining jungles with such a creature. Also, if the land was ruled by a more compassionate leader and wasn’t plagued by various disasters, Yukiko might not have joined forces with a group of rebels who were plotting to overthrow the regime.
Fangirl: While high school could have been an appropriate setting for Fangirl, it wouldn’t have the unique hallmarks of “growing up” that come with a college setting. It’s because of the college setting that Cath chooses to isolate herself in her room on weekends (and not just to write fanfiction), and that Wren adopts a more rebellious, live-in-the-present mentality. Yet it’s also the place where Cath eventually steps out of her comfort zone by making new friends and falling in love while learning to feel comfortable in her own skin.
Activity #2: Review the premise sentence, inciting incident, and/or synopsis of your WIP. Determine how your story’s plot and/or characters are influenced by the Five Facets of Setting. Write down as many “what if” scenarios, “if-then” statements, and related questions as you’d like to discover your story’s relationship with its setting.
What Themes Emerge from the Story-Setting Relationship?
The “what if” approach might sound familiar if you’ve read Part 3 of Developing Themes In Your Stories (which focused on the external conflict). Those scenarios, along with the “if-then” statements and other questions, can highlight some of the story’s themes. They don’t just emphasize how the story would change if the setting was different – they also reveal the high-level concepts arising from the story-setting relationship.
Re-read the statements you developed during Activity #2. What themes emerge as part of the setting’s significance to the story? Would these ideas still be present if any of the Five Facets were different? Don’t forget to take our working definition of “theme” into account. Themes will recur throughout a story and be tied to the protagonist’s external and internal journeys. So, take the extra step to examine the setting’s influence at different points in the story, or compare the setting’s themes with those from previous Developing Themes exercises. The deeper a theme is ingrained in your story, the more it will resonate with readers.
Here are some setting themes from our two examples. Can you think of others that might also apply?
- Stormdancer: power, politics, man and the natural world, the supernatural
- Fangirl: coming of age, friendship, love, isolation, drugs / alcohol
Activity #3: Using your Activity #2 statements, identify any themes that emerge from the story’s setting. How are these ideas connected to the Five Facets you listed during Activity #1? Once you’ve finished, compare your list of themes to those you created for past Developing Themes exercises. Do any appear repeatedly throughout the story?
How is setting important to your WIP? What themes does it present because of its location, time period, season, and/or related elements? How does setting play a significant role in some of your favorite stories?
Sara Letourneau is a fantasy writer in Massachusetts who devours good books, loves all kinds of music, and drinks too much tea. In addition to writing for DIY MFA, she is a Resident Writing Coach at Writers Helping Writers and is hard at work on a YA fantasy novel. She also freelanced as a tea reviewer and music journalist in the past. Her poetry has appeared in The Curry Arts Journal, Soul-Lit, The Eunoia Review, Underground Voices, and two print anthologies. Visit Sara at her personal blog, Twitter, and Goodreads.