Rafael Amestoy

The Importance of Setting

Setting has many functions. Place creates the atmosphere of the novel (a

city is not the same as a little town or a forest). And time impacts on what types

of lives characters can lead and what choices they can make (The Roman Empire

had different technologies and traditions than a contemporary society). So,

comparing the setting with the characters and plot, which one is more

important? I believe that this depends not only on the book but also on the

reader.

On the one hand, some books focus more on the way the characters think

and feel, or how they solve the problems that they are facing. I would say that

adventure and psychology books are the ones that fit in the previous statement.

In Sartre´s books, the reasoning of the characters is the important thing, since

Sartre was existentialist and emphasised in the “individual”. Another is the case

of “Robin Hood” where action is what moves this novel. In addition, some

readers prefer the action or the part where it is their favourite character which

whom they identify.

On the other hand, there are some books where not developing their

setting are not the same. For example, in “1984” the oppressive society is what

influences Winston to take action and the same context is what makes him

think differently. In contrast to the previous paragraph, it exits people that are
Rafael Amestoy

fascinated with some fictional worlds: “Harry Potter” or “Lord of the Rings”

make us fantasize about how it would be to belong to these worlds.

To conclude, I think that due to literature is not an exact science, it allows

the writer and the reader to be flexible. I believe that this is the most valuable

virtue of literature. You can read and interpret a book focusing in what you like

of it. And, the write, in order to transmit the idea he wants to express, can do it

through the characters, the plot or the setting.