Definition of Setting
“The Interlopers” takes place somewhere in the eastern part of the Carpathian mountains, a broad range that spans Eastern Europe. The majority of the range is in modern-day Romania and is notable for its wildlife and broad, undisturbed forests. The setting of “The Interlopers” is very important because of how large a role the natural world plays in the narrative. The entire story takes place on contested land, and the main conflict therefore emerges from the setting itself. Not only do Ulrich and Georg meet to fight over the strip of woods between their properties, but what happens to them is determined by their surroundings, which are dangerous and rather sinister. After a tree falls on them, pinning them to the ground, the two characters are trapped on the very same stretch of land that has caused so much animosity between them and their families. The very source of their feud, then, ends up becoming their ultimate downfall.