Sometimes, the best way to learn about what something is, is to discern what it is not.
Left and right; up and down; the self and society; I and the world around me - such distinctions are elementary, and yet are so important to our daily lives. How could we know about any outside without an inside as a point of reference? How can we ask ourselves who we are, without understanding our place in the wider world? The art of learning organically can be seen as the art of making accurate divisions between particulars which are (naturally, always) part of a larger whole.
Similarly, when studying a text, we strive to make accurate divisions between elements. One excellent way to approach a text is to examine its characters, and how they relate to their setting.
Just as we influence, and are influenced by, the world around us. Characters in a piece of literature are influenced by the setting. The setting informs their purpose - after all, what would Harry Potter be, without the Wizarding World which he inhabits? Who would Alice be, without Wonderland? These two examples usefully illustrate how important a setting is to a piece of literature. The characters are born into thier world, and strive to exist within that world just as we do - and just as the author has. When reading, try to gain an understanding of the ideas an author is attempting to explore through the interactions their characters have with the world around them.
Furthermore, an author may characterize any animal or object, as a way to point out how it relates to its surroundings.
The Amateur Gardener by australian author and poet Banjo Patterson, appeared in a 1903 news column. It is a piece of fiction, written in the style of a non-fiction article. As you read, try to understand the reasons behind the characterizations of people, plants, and animals, which the author makes. What is the author trying to say about society as a whole?
The Veldt by Ray Bradbury introduces us to the marvels of home-automation technology though the experience of a family living in their new, state-of-the-art house. As you read, try to discern how the characters are affected by their setting. Although it is set in the future, does it hold meaning for us today? What is the author trying to say about society as a whole, through this piece?
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