Giovanni’s Room
by James Baldwin

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Giovanni’s Room: Setting 1 key example

Definition of Setting

Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or it can be an imagined... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or... read full definition
Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the... read full definition

Key Examples in Giovanni’s Room

Setting
Explanation and Analysis:

David doesn’t mention any precise dates, though his love affair likely takes place in a 20th-century, post-WWII world. But what the novel lacks in historical clues it more than makes up for with its careful exploration of place: one of the novel’s throughlines is its division between New York City and Paris, in both of which David spends his time. David grows up in New York City, though his love affair and confession both take place in France. The bulk of the novel takes place in Paris, where David frequents the city’s bars and lives in Giovanni’s room.