The Effect of Setting

Author Willa Cather embedded literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, within her writing.


"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."


"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."


"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.


Chunk #1: Comment the effect of the setting on the characters within the novel.

The setting of this novel has a major effect of the characters, Antonia especially. After her fathers death, she becomes driven to prove herself, working hard on her family's new farm. She becomes tan, her hair becomes long and ragged, and she becomes bulkier because of the hard work she has become dedicated to.

Chunk #2: discuss the effect a setting on you, including imagery (lots of adjectives) and a simile or a metaphor as you describe the land.

The tree in my front yard symbolizes a refuge to me, especially during a rain shower. The canopy of leaves protects me and the swing underneath from rain drops above. In the background, gently playing, piano music plays. The rain loves music, and dances along to the beat as she falls. Sitting beside me, warm, a cup of steaming black coffee. In my hands, a book. A thick, juicy book, filled with excitement and adventure I haven't fathomed. This is my moment of bliss, under the tree, my book, the rain, and me.