Whether the book is set in a dangerous forest or in 2089, the setting plays an important role in the story.
The setting of a story is the location and the time period of an event or scenario in which it is situated. . . The setting of a story has a significant effect to the story. It affects the mood and atmosphere of the story, allows readers to comprehend the character’s situation or choices better, and foreshadows the oncoming events in the story.
Wuthering Heights, a book by Emily Bronte is a great example of a story where setting has a remarkable role in the story. Wuthering Heights is a book about two people, Catherine and Heathcliff who falls in love with each other. Heathcliff was adopted by Catherine’s father when he was younger. Wuthering Heights was also the name of the house that they lived in. Although Catherine liked Heathcliff a lot, Hindley, Catherine’s brother, on the other hand, hated Heathcliff a lot because he believed that Heathcliff stole his father’s affection.
This did not stop Catherine from spending time with Heathcliff. They did everything together. As Catherine was growing up, she realized that social class was important to her which is why she cannot marry Heathcliff even though she loved him. She cannot marry him because he did not have the money and it would degrade her to marry him. As soon as Heathcliff heard about Catherine’s thoughts, he immediately left. After a couple years, Heathcliff came back for Catherine but it was too late for him because Catherine had already married someone else, Edgar Linton and they lived in Thrushcross Grange.
Heathcliff ends up Isabella, Edgar Linton’s sister to take revenge both on Catherine and Edgar. Catherine then gets pregnant and dies after she gives birth to a girl whom she named Catherine, as well. Isabella also gets pregnant and gives birth to a boy whom she called, Linton. Hindley also had a son whom he named Hareton. When Hindley dies, Heathcliff gains custody of Hareton.
To seek revenge on Hindley, Heathcliff withheld Hareton from education making him illiterate. On the other hand, Linton was very sickly but he was forced by Heathcliff to marry young Catherine so he can gain control over Thrushcross Grange. Linton and young Catherine ended up getting married but Linton dies not long after their marriage. Catherine then decided that she wants to help Hareton with his education. As time goes by, they fell in love with each other.
Heathcliff saw the change in their relationship but he did not intervene between the two of them because he did not care anymore. He stopped eating and ended up dying in the end. Based on the summary, readers can conclude that Wuthering Heights had a tragic and dark theme. It was mostly about revenge. Although not included in the summary, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are two almost exact opposite households. As Wuthering Heights was situated on a hill, it was vulnerable to stormy weather which made it look lonely and saddening. It also has a notable structure which represents gothic.
Meanwhile, Thrushcross Grange look classy and lively. It also looks decorative and comfortable. The setting of each houses has affected the mood and the people’s attitude that lives in each of the different houses. It would make sense that Heathcliff lives in Wuthering Heights just by looking at his aura, his attitude towards everybody, and his life. He is full of hate and revenge towards everyone, from Hindley to Catherine to Edgar. After everything that he has done, he ends up killing himself at the end of the book. He has gained nothing but loneliness.
Meanwhile, Edgar Linton, who lived in Thrushcross Grange was happy and lively. He was happily married with Catherine. By showing these obvious differences of the houses, it showed how each person affected their lifestyle and attitude toward each other.
The setting was significant in Hillary Jordan’s Mudbound, as well. It was set in the South, in the 1940s. Mudbound is about the two couple Henry and Laura McAllen and their two daughters who moved to Mississippi Delta without knowing what their life is going to be like and how the people that they are going to meet is going change their life. Laura did not really appreciate the idea of moving to Mississippi and living in a farm without electricity and water because she was city-bred. Henry let his father stay in their house with them as well.
One of the tenants in Henry’s farm was the Jackson family, a black family. Even though Henry’s father shows prejudice towards the Jacksons, Laura develops companionship with Florence as she can talk to her about life in the farm. Florence’s husband, Hap, hurt himself while working in the field. The first doctor that attempted to help Hap showed prejudice to him by not properly doing his job so Hap ended up hurting even more but eventually gets better.
After the war, Florence’s son Ronsel and Henry’s brother, Jamie came home.