Frankie Manifesto Setting

After all of the things that Frankie has to go through, you would think he would have a little time to get refocused, but the excitement in the life of Frankie Presto never seems to stop. In The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom, Frankie has already left for America, got rejected by his fake aunt, and had one of his most prized possessions, his sixth string on his guitar, broken. Although he has been through so many rough times, his story has an amazing plotline that never fails to impress. One of the biggest reasons why it is so interesting is because of the settings of certain events. In this journal, I will be highlighting three very crucial settings in the story: the docks in England, Maestro’s apartment and Danza’s front porch.

The Docks in England is where Frankie’s life had made a turning point, which makes it an important part in the book. Frankie has just left Spain, but he can’t make it all of the way to America because the

sailors stole his money. He has just given up hope when Django Reinhardt, a famous musician that he and El Maestro used to listen to, greets him, although he was imagining a little more from a famous guitarist: “He had listened to the man’s recording so many times, both of them imagining a guitarist with large hands and incredible reach” (Albom 123). Django ardently lets Frankie come along with him to be his translator because he cannot speak English very well. This is how Frankie finally makes it to the United States. This setting is very important in many ways. One reason is that these two people who have dramatically changed each other’s lives might have never met if this place did not exist. This experience gave Frankie exactly what he needed to finally get to the United States. Django had also changed because he got what he needed to go make music after his son died. Without this place, Frankie’s life would have been changed forever, but there is still one place that is way more important to the lot of the story. The docks in England are very significant in this book, but there is an even more important setting, El Maestro’s apartment.

One of the most important places in the entire book is El Maestro’s apartment.

This is the place where Frankie started playing music, and where he started thriving at something: “Of his lessons with El Maestro, I can attest that he made extraordinary progress” (Albom 62). It is also the place where Frankie found hope when Baffa was taken away. This setting has hosted many important events throughout the beginning of the book, so it created many different conflicts and memorable times for Frankie to look back on for the years to come. However, this time was short-lived because Frankie had to go to America, but I believe that it just made that place more significant. It is where Frankie came from, which is the most important part of his life. It was the only place outside of his house where he felt comfortable. When he was in his darkest hour, this is the place he came to. Without this place, Frankie’s life would have been changed forever, but there is still one place that is way more important to the lot of the

story.

Danza’s front step is the most iconic setting in the entire book. Not only does it create more texture to the story, but it also changes Frankie’s personality. After Frankie gets to the U.S., he goes on tour a little bit with Django. When they finally arrive in Detroit, he goes to see the person who Baffa said was Frankie’s mother. Well, Danza does not enjoy Frankie’s presence because he reminds her of her brother, so she brashly yells the news into his ear: “And when he exclaimed and told her the story Baffa had told him, she grew angry and broke the news to Frankie right there on the street” (Albom 139) Frankie is heartbroken, because he realized that he might never see his mother ever. Then he is sad because he knows that Baffa lied to him, and Baffa was the person whom he trusted the most. After all that he went through, he will never meet his mother. The narrator makes sure that we know this by telling us a little about how Frankie’s mother is dead, but Frankie had no idea that this had happened. This setting had truly sculpted Frankie as a character and showed his realization that he cannot trust anybody. This experience had showed Frankie coming of age because he lost everything pure in his mind and had to start from scratch. After that, Frankie becomes untrusting and sophomoric. This truly is the most important setting in the book so far.

These different settings have overall constructed a book in which the main character’s decisions and emotions are heavily triggered by what happens around him. Anything that the setting changes takes its toll on Frankie in a way that nothing else could. Settings are truly one of the most important things that makes up a good book.