Setting the Stage: The When and Where of a story

P. J. Lyons.

Recently, in analyzing why the beginning of one of my picture books seemed abrupt, I realized the story lacked context. I knew where and when everything took place, but I had failed to include even a hint of that information in the text. Most picture books build their story with three major elements: characterization, plot, and setting. Mine lacked setting. In this essay I will examine the role setting plays in a story.

What is setting? Whenever I’m trying to understand a term better, I begin by looking it up in the dictionary. I had to read a lot of definition, but eventually I found the one I was looking for:*

a. The context and environment in which a situation is set; the background.

b. The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place.

This definition was way down the page. There were several other meanings I liked better.

For example: “To position (oneself) in such a way as to be ready to start running a race.” A story is like a race. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. So the setting is the position the story needs to be in for the spectator to begin reading. 

Here is the definition of setting for a poem: “The direction or course of wind or water.” This is the essence of the meaning. To explain it would only spoil it.

A shining example: A mounting, as for a jewel. The story is the gem, and the setting is the gold that holds it in place.

“A place setting.” Perfect, just the way it is.

And finally, my favorite: “A set of eggs in a hen's nest.” The setting is the nest which  holds the story as it prepares to hatch.

In Writing with Pictures, Uri Shulevitz describes the changing backgrounds between  illustrations as a gauge by which the viewer  measures progress: “A picture sequence has two elements: one active, the other stationary—an “actor” and a “stage.” Without an actor, there would be no action—nothing would happen. But the stage is also necessary. Without the stage, we can’t tell if the actor is moving.” (19) The illustrations’ backgrounds are not the story’s only stage, however. The story’s position in the space/time continuum is also a stage; it is the framework by which progress is measured. Anastasia Suen says, “The setting isn’t just a backdrop for your story, it is the stage!” (124)

Although the setting is the stage upon which a story takes place, the author cannot arbitrarily assign a venue without detracting from the veracity of the story. People are a combination of nature and nurture. Therefore the characters must be a product of their environment, just as we are. Says Suen, “Your story setting is closely related to both character and plot. The setting can affect who the character is and what the character does; therefore, it is important to ask why a book takes place in its specific setting. (131)

The setting is more than just a stage; it can affect the plot, and the plot can affect the setting. If a character needs to climb a mountain in order to fulfill a challenge, and the story is set in Iowa, then half the challenge will be finding the mountain! Suen states, “The plot also plays a part in selecting a setting. What the character needs to do helps determine where the character is. A character with a school problem needs to be in a school setting. A character struggling to survive in the wild must have an outdoor setting. The place, the character, and the action cannot be separated. (132)

How does an author construct a setting? The first step is to decide what issues are important. Is the historical context important? How about the geographical location? Only that which plays a supporting role in the story should be woven  into the nest. Extraneous material can be distracting. And while large chunks of thread can be efficient, a story is more eloquent if the writer can weave the threads judiciously, with just a touch here and there. This is especially true with picture books where room must be left for the illustrations.

After the author decides what is important, then he or she must spin an image that evokes the essence, the lifeblood of the setting. A reader will be drawn into a story deeper if there is an emotional connection with both the character and the setting. And while visual clues tend to be the first resort, smell, touch, and background noises can be more evocative. Nancy Lamb suggests, “Specificity creates authenticity. (195) Writing, “The scent of roses, like the corsage I wore to my first prom, filled the room,” paints a different picture than, “The scent of lilies, like the ones at my father’s funeral, filled the room.”

Works Cited

* All definitions are from www.Dictionary.com

Lamb, Nancy. The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 2001.

Shulevitz, Uri. Writing with Pictures. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1985.

Suen, Anastasia Suen. Picture Writing. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 2003.