Student Name
Dr. Myron
English 250
12/15/09
The Importance of Setting in Literary Works
In class earlier this year, setting was defined as the time, place, and atmosphere of a
literary work. Setting is one of the most basic concepts of literature, and yet one of the most
important to a piece of literature. The setting of a piece can drastically change the effect of it
altogether. In this essay, the settings of the short story "The Storm," by Kate Chopin, the poem
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," by Robert Frost, and the drama "Othello," by
William Shakespeare will be examined and will demonstrate how setting is a crucial literary
element in any genre.
The first work examined is the short story by Kate Chopin, "The Storm." This piece takes
place during a storm at Bobinot's farm house and Friedheimer's store. The importance of setting
in this story is the storm, which is no coincidence given the title. The storm is a major factor in
the plot of this short story because it keeps Bobinot and Bibi from returning home to Calixta.
During that time, Calixta invites Alcee Laballiere into the house to wait out the storm. During his
time inside the house, him and Calixta reignite an old flame between them and have an affair.
Without the storm, which is the almost setting, Alcee would not have been invited in and
Bobinot and Bibi would have been able to get home. Therefore, the affair between Alcee and
Calixta would not have happened if not for the storm.
In Robert Frost's poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," setting is also a vital
component. This poem is set in a wooded area that lies outside a village on a snowy evening. The
