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6.1 Before You Read

Examples of Setting

Here is a passage from a sample short story. Can you read how the location, time, and mood are developed in this passage?

Example:

The old barn is cool and cavernous. Its walls offer shelter to many creatures. Particles of straw and dust dance in the shafts of light that pierce the gentle gloom. Earthy smells drift by. In the distance a dusty road winds uphill through a tunnel of maple trees. The scent of lavender perfumes the air, and the early afternoon sun glitters on the wings of bees.

Can you identify the location, time, and mood? Here are some ideas:

Location

  • An old barn, probably out in the country somewhere. In the distance is a dusty road that winds through a tunnel of maple trees.

Time

  • Early afternoon. It probably takes place in the summer (the scent of lavender and presence of bees hints at this).

Mood

  • Very peaceful and quiet.