Setting
The Question:
With close reference to the text, discuss the ways in which the setting has helped increase your understanding of key characters, their surroundings and their heritage. In addition, explain how the author has created particular impact from his use of setting.
Our Response:
The question asks you to discuss ways in which the setting has helped increase your understanding of characters, their surroundings and heritage. It also asks you to explain how the author has created particular impact. It's best if you combine these two tasks - as you make a point, also comment about how the writer's technique(s) played their part.
Techniques you can choose to highlight include:- Descriptive language
- Characterisation
- Imagery
Here are some aspects of the different types of setting you could have written about:
Geographical
- It's rural: people live in small crofts, their patterns of life are tied to the seasons and the weather.
- It's remote: anyone who travels to and from stresses the extent of the journey - check back to the map to remind yourself of its location.
- It's self-contained: there is little movement; everyone knows everyone else; the tenants generally fend for themselves.
Historical
- They're facing disruption: for people so settled in their birthplace, the prospect of a move was particularly disturbing; the Clearances put financial gain over human settlements.
- The landlord/tenant relationship: it was a feudal system - in emergencies, the tenants look to the Duke for assistance; ultimately, however, the Duke's own interests come first.
Social
- Proximity/neighbourliness: Betty regularly pops in to check on Mrs. Scott; the Macleods knew something must have gone wrong when they didn't see Mrs. Scott return from the Manse; there is no doubt that the Macleods will look after Mrs. Scott after her fall.
- Hierarchy: the village structure is long-established; look at attitudes to the Elder and the Minister; attitudes to the Duke; attitudes of the young towards their elders.
You've now completed the section on revision (setting). You can choose to study more about revisionor use the navigation bar below to select another area. |
 |
