The document discusses the concept of setting in literature. It defines setting as comprising the physical, temporal, and cultural details that describe the world of the characters. The physical setting includes locations, climate, objects, and can change between scenes. The temporal setting relates to the era, duration of time, and time of day of the story. The cultural setting includes societal behaviors, beliefs, and relationships. The document then analyzes the setting of the fictional school "Adaire" across these three dimensions, noting how elements like the building, technology, and community values establish feelings of safety, accomplishment, and welcome for the characters.

1. SETTING

2. WHAT IS SETTING?
• Authors set their characters in a “world” with a particular location
in place, time and culture. Setting is comprised of the physical
details, the temporal details and the cultural details of that world.
• Setting helps us to describe how the environment makes us feel or
explains why something happens in an environment.
Temple
University
Campus

3. PHYSICAL SETTING
• The physical details of setting include all of the places where the action takes
place. It includes the location, climate, and the objects. Physical setting may
change from scene to scene.
• For example: In Adaire, our physical setting is:
• Philadelphia
• Big sturdy building.
• Classrooms.
• Desk, paper, chairs.

4. PHYSICAL SETTING
• The physical setting explains:
1. Why Students take the PSSA, because we are in Pennsylvania.
2. Why we have students, because we are a school with classrooms.
• These settings make me feel:
1. Philadelphia: Happy, because I like Philadelphia.
2. Sturdy Building: Safe, because I know I will not get hurt in Adaire.
3. Classrooms: Accomplished, because I get to teach all of you!
How does Adaire’s physical setting make you feel? What can you explain
because of the physical setting?

5. TIME PERIOD (TEMPORAL) SETTING
• The temporal setting relates to time. It can include:
• The era or year a story is set in.
• The duration of time in which a story takes place
• The time of day
• Temporal setting also tells us what technology is available.

6. TEMPORAL (TIME) SETTING
• Adaire’s temporal setting is currently 2015, the digital era.
• This time period explains why we have smart boards and mac books.
• Adaire is also 123 years old, being founded in 1892.
• That duration of time explains why it is so cold sometimes, because of old pipes.
• Adaire starts at an early time of day, at 8:26am.
• This explains why so many students feel tired and
lethargic first period.
History of Adaire
• How does Adaire’s technology make you feel?
Adaire, 123 years ago, in
1892
Adaire, presently, in
2015.

7. CULTURAL SETTING
• The cultural setting includes patterns of behavior and beliefs that
dominate the society in which the characters live.
• Family relationships, moral values, gender roles, political systems,
gender roles, rules and race relations are all part of the cultural setting.

8. CULTURAL SETTING
• The cultural setting explains:
1. Why we have boys and girls in our classrooms, because we are a mixed school.
2. Why we wear uniforms, because that is the political culture of Philadelphia
Schools.
3. Why Adaire has the nicest students, because we have a strong community.
• Adaire’s cultural settings makes me feel:
• Welcomed, because the culture is to help everyone. This is a moral value.
How would you justify Adaire’s cultural setting? Is it right, or does it need to
be improved?
Dr. Long’s classroom cultural setting is so
inviting!

9. DRAW YOUR BEDROOM!
• Do the following, in 7 minutes:
• Draw your room! Include items such as furniture, electronics, pets (if they come into your room), homework,
friends, etc.
• Label which parts belong to either the physical, temporal, or cultural setting.
• Write a sentence each about how your feel about the physical, temporal, or cultural setting or
• Write a sentence each about what the physical, temporal, or cultural setting explains about you.
• Afterwards 7, we will discuss our bedrooms together!

10. THE SETTING OF MY SEMINAR CLASSROOM

11. SETTING AND FEVER 1793
• As we read Fever 1793, observe how the physical, temporal, and cultural setting effects Maddie and the
world around her. Some things to think about while you read and consider the setting:
• The time period in 1793
• Mattie is a girl.
• Mattie’s lives in the nation’s capital (Philadelphia)