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Difficulty: MediumNarrative Function of Setting

Read the following passage carefully before choosing your answer.

(1) The wind across the salt marsh carried no scent of the sea, only the flat, sterile odor of dried mud and decaying reeds. (2) For miles, the landscape offered nothing but this level gray expanse, broken only by the occasional skeleton of a cedar tree, stripped white by salt and storms. (3) Within the kitchen of the cottage, Evelyn stood by the small window, her fingers tracing the leaden caulking that kept out the draft. (4) The glass was warped, turning the vast horizon outside into a series of jagged, disconnected lines. (5) She did not open the door; to do so would invite the silent, encroaching cold that had already claimed the corners of the ceiling. (6) Instead, she watched a single crow struggle against the updraft, its wings beating fruitlessly against an invisible wall of air, before it gave way and was swept backward into the featureless sky.

Which of the following best describes the narrative function of the salt marsh and cottage kitchen setting?

  1. A
    illustrate the specific weather patterns of the region to explain the flight paths of local migratory birds
  2. B
    establish the geographic location of the cottage to explain why Evelyn needs to repair the window caulking
  3. C
    chronicle the sequence of events from Evelyn standing at the window to her observing the crow's flight
  4. reflect Evelyn’s internal state of emotional stagnation and her distorted, restricted perspectiveAnswer
  5. E
    express the author's personal critique of industrialization and its destructive effects on coastal wetlands

Answer

reflect Evelyn’s internal state of emotional stagnation and her distorted, restricted perspective
The correct answer states that the setting reflects the character's internal state of emotional stagnation and her distorted, restricted perspective. The sterile, gray expanse of the marsh outside and the cold, drafty cottage kitchen serve as a physical projection of the character's emotional numbness and isolation. The warped glass of the window further symbolizes her fractured and distorted view of the world outside her confinement, demonstrating the setting's narrative function as a character mirror.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the description of the setting features
The setting is characterized by desolation (decaying reeds, level gray expanse), confinement (small window, keeping out the draft, encroaching cold), and distortion (warped glass turning the horizon into jagged, disconnected lines).
Identifying the specific imagery and descriptive details of the setting is the first step to interpreting its deeper significance.
2
Analyze the connection between the setting and the character's internal state
The physical confinement and stagnation of the setting mirror the character's emotional paralysis and her inability or unwillingness to open the door to change. The warped window pane represents her distorted perception of the horizon (her future).
In literary analysis, settings often act as character mirrors, externalizing the internal conflicts and psychology of the characters inhabiting them.
3
Differentiate between symbolic narrative function and literal descriptions or plot summary
Discard options that focus merely on literal details (like weather or caulking) or simple plot progression, selecting the option that explains the metaphorical relationship between the environment and the character's psychology.
Standardized tests like the AP exam require students to move beyond literal comprehension or summary toward analysis of literary function.

Key Concept

Narrative Function of Setting
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Narrative Function of Setting

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