in these four short stories, the setting serves as a crucial component that enhances the plot and characters, bringing the stories to life. Through the use of descriptive language and mood, the settings become active participants in the storytelling process. "Sonny’s Blues" by James Baldwin tells the story of two brothers, Sonny, and the narrator, as they struggle to reconcile their differences. The setting, Harlem, is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood that plays a significant role in the story's plot. Through the vivid descriptions of the surroundings, Baldwin portrays Harlem as a place of poverty, crime, and drugs. The setting provides a backdrop for Sonny's struggles with addiction and the narrator's realization of his own biases and prejudices. The streets, the buildings, and the people all contribute to the story's emotional intensity, making it a powerful representation of the urban African-American experience. "King of the Bingo Game" by Ralph Ellison is a story about a desperate man who becomes obsessed with winning a bingo game. The setting, a crowded and chaotic bingo hall, serves as a symbol of the protagonist's struggle for survival in a society that ignores his existence. The descriptions of the hall's noise, heat, and smell, combined with the repetitive and tedious nature of the game, create a suffocating and oppressive atmosphere that …show more content…
The setting, the contrast between the children's ghetto and the affluent neighborhood, is crucial to the story's message. The descriptions of the children's poverty, combined with the luxurious stores and buildings of the upper class, highlight the enormous wealth gap that exists between the two groups. The setting's role in the story emphasizes the social injustice and inequality present in society, making the story's ending a call to