The influence of setting on a story.

An author’s usage of the element of setting can assist the readers in tying the story together and better appreciating of the thoughts and significant ideas mentioned in it. The setting of a story is used to convey key information of the time era, the type of society as well as the state of the characters in which the narrative takes place. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby being one of the most criticized, analyzed, quoted and interpreted piece of writing since the time it was published. The author would not have been able to drive interest in his writing without the prominent setting. He uses the setting to create powerful perceptions and transmit ideas in order to build that interest. Similarly in Garen Thomas’s biography of President Barack Obama, Yes We Can the author utilizes the setting of the late 20th Century and early 21st Century in the United States of America which contributes towards the making of the 44th President - Barack Obama. It shows the hardships and the struggle to prove his identity as an African American under various societal, familial as well as political influences. It portrays how his sheer optimism, enthusiastic determination and his utmost belief that “change can happen” (Barack Obama) intensifies the true essence of setting within this piece of literature. It glorifies the fact that freedom includes opportunity for prosperity and success, and also that upward social mobility is greatly achieved through hard work and perseverance.

In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald focuses greatly on the character of Jay Gatsby, as a narrative through the words of Nick Carraway. He expresses the character of Gatsby as an extremely wealthy individual and the origin of his wealth being quite suspicious. He did...

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...impressive reputation today, exemplifying how a common man like him could become president. In Obama’s view according to Mr. Borosage, the society has descended into “a gilded age” (Robert Borosage) of inequality due to the false democracy being promoted by major corporations. He has seen poverty and the middle class American life very closely. The poor conditions he saw then drove him to re-establish a better middle class in America in which a common citizen can peacefully live his life. Obama successfully demonstrated how one’s perseverance always commands their success, hence exhibiting the true American dream regardless of the previous setting in which he was born. He is on the path to change that ignorant and harsh view of the late 20th century into a better, tolerant and more progressive society, hence outlining the transformation in the described settings.