The Significance of Setting in "Roselily" by Alice Walker

I'm struggling to write a paper on the above mentioned topic. I don't know if any of you have read it before. I just keep getting caught on the narrowing my paper down. I keep trying to explain other aspects of the story when I really need to talk about the significance of the setting! Does anyone have any experience with writing an essay about setting?

Well, if you are concerned with narrowing the paper down, start by writing a detailed list of the various aspects of setting -- details of both place and time -- and then ask yourself how they all work together to create a mood or to develop a theme. The answer to that question becomes your thesis statement, and the details your supporting evidence, giving you a fairly focused outline to work from.

Sean gave excellent advice, but also you might google the significance of setting in literature, and get a feel for it.

:)

I did assume that you had a certain familiarity with the concept of setting, but if you are new to the analysis of literature, then Kevin is right -- you need to get a hold of the key concept before you try writing about it.

Yes, I was just thinking that maybe sometimes students don't know to look for, say, symbolism in the choice of setting used by the author -- a review of the significance of setting might get someone thinking from the author's point of view and then they will say, Wow, now I see why Walker set this story in the place and under the circumstances that she chose!

Thanks! Your advice really helped and I think I know where I'm going now!