Chapter 3, How Does Setting Affect Characters?

In class today we all read Chapter 3 of Red Midnight to ourselves.  Before the reading, I talked to you about how setting can really affect characters.  This is very true of historical fiction novels because the background plays a very important role in the action.  In other novels, the setting sometimes isn't as important or doesn't play such a major role. 

Well, in Chapter 3, we see how setting affects Santiago and Angelina.  Along their long journey to America, they will have to pay close attention to the setting.  For example, they'll need to observe the North Star to make sure they are heading in the correct direction.  If they don't pay enough attention, they could end up lost and die.  Also, they have to be aware of sharks and pirates along the way.  So, setting can help them, but the setting can also affect them in a negative way such as causing death by being eaten alive by a man-eating beast! :)