The Jungle Book

by Rudyard Kipling

The Jungle Book: 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
Setting
Explanation and Analysis:

British colonialism in India, which spanned from the mid-18th to the mid-20th century, marked a period of significant cultural, economic, and political domination by the British Empire over the people of the subcontinent. This period of British rule is often called the “British Raj,” and it lasted from 1858 until 1957. Because India was one of Britain’s largest and most important colonies, “British India” novels like this were popular. As The Jungle Book was written by a staunch British Imperialist during the height of the British Raj, it is strongly influenced by this colonial context. The stories, while rooted in Indian cultural traditions and mostly set in Indian landscapes, are seen through a British lens. They reflect the author's own experiences and perceptions as a British subject born in colonial India, and they paint British rule as a positive and helpful force for good.