Exploring Setting's Influence on Characters in Through Black Spruce

Through a critical analysis of the novel Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden, this essay examines the significant influence of setting on the characters' lives. The narrative's dual storyline, which alternates between Will Bird's coma and Annie's adventures in the city, showcases how setting can create conflict, shape values, and evoke emotions. The author highlights how setting serves as an anchor for Annie as she navigates her journey south and provides a contrast to Will's experiences in Moosonee. By discussing the various settings and their effects on the characters, this essay demonstrates how setting plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative and character development.

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Through Black Spruce Seminar
Explain how setting affects or influences character in the novel. You need to go beyond plot
and what characters do.
Slide 1
Introduction
Through Black Spruce is a novel by Joseph Boyden.
It is a book about survival in both the city and the bush, and the significance of the family.
The novel tells about the dual story about Will Bird a Cree bush pilot in coma in Moose Factory,
Ontario and his niece Annie (De Meester, Luc, et al 56)..
The focus of the novel is the collapse of cultural and the traditional ways of Cree in Moosonee
and how individuals lose themselves.
Note
The novel is narrated in two parts that alternate at every chapter. All the odd chapters are
narrated by Will in his coma talking to the niece on what happened to him, while Annie was
down south. The other part of the novel is narrated by Annie who is at hospital bed with Will and
tells him the adventure while he was down south and what is talking place currently.
Slide 2

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Setting of the novel
 The novel is set in two different settings: the Northern Canadian bush and the Moosonee
 Moosonee is a town located in Ontario.
 It is a small town located along river moose about 19 kilometers away from James Bay
(De Meester, Luc, et al 74).
 It is described in the book as the end of the track, an isolated town where just through the
black spruce another world lies.
Notes
Boyden the author of the novel, his choice of modern setting helps develop the story in an
interesting way.
Moreover, it Make more sense with the plot. Additionally, it Make the story more interesting as
the modern setting enable the characters to go further in the world and avoid repetitiveness
It gives the readers an idea of various places and cultures. The choice is also good as the plot of
the story could not make sense in the historical setting since the characters indulge in drugs, far
travel and parties. The cities represent the feeling of helplessness and lost.
Slide 3
 Setting can create conflict by exposing the characters to dangers
 Making characters pass through difficult time periods or situations.
 Influence on their values, and emotions (De Meester, Luc, et al 65)..
Notes
In the story Annie after wandering the street of Toronto trying to find her lost sister. She gets
mugged and beaten by a stranger by a stranger. There is painted tongue by the name Gordon, one
of the aboriginals that she met on the street saves her from the man and carries her to the hotel.
This situation shows that she encountered difficult period while she was on the streets searching
for her sisters.
Slide 4
How setting affects or influences the characters
 Setting can affect the characters live and what they do, believe or value.
 In this plot there are two setting Canadian Bush and Moose. These setting have their own
dangers.

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 the setting play a role in the story since it acts as anchor for Annie as she journeys south
and place to avoid Will. The two characters have complete view on Moosonee
 Will live few miles from town out in the bush, there are people who views the place as
dangerous while will view as safe (Anna 305).
 Will thinks real danger lurks in the city.
 Notes
These two characters (Annie and Will) views that Moosonee is not a bad to live as compared to
other people what they think. Will is afraid of the city since he regards it as a place where
corruption and drugs dominate and destroy people. He is also afraid of Marius who is a drug
dealer. These characters associate the town with all the good things such as family, friends and
the beauty of the land and what it offers.
Continued…
Create conflict they must endure
In the novel the writer has created various situations that the characters should endure.
One situation is when Annie gets mugged in the street. Gordon an aboriginal helps her from the
attacker (Anna 304).
The author is such setting placed the characters in that space that feed the plot and generate some
drama
Note
The dramatic effects of the story are to place the characters in setting which variously generate
harmony or the tension among them. This is what drives the plot and it is what makes the readers
to become eager to read on the story to see the protagonist succeed. The characters usually face
problem after problem and each issue that occurs they are forced to make tough decisions on
what to do next.
Slide 6
Conclusion
Setting is the place where the scene took place
It sets the mood, impact the way characters behave, and reflect the society which the characters
live.

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Setting has a critical element in nonfiction as setting offers the framework for what has been
discussed.
The setting in this novel has influenced the characters in the novel in various ways such as;
 Setting can create conflict by exposing the characters to dangers
 Making characters pass through difficult time periods or situations.
 Influence on their values, and emotions.
 Setting can affect the characters live and what they do, believe or value.
Note
The setting of the novel has influenced the characters from various ways. Some of these ways are
creating conflict through exposing the characters to dangers; making the characters pass through
difficult times. Additionally, influencing on their values and emotion and how they live, what
they do or value.

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Work Cited
De Meester, Luc, et al. "Evolving perspectives on monopolization and priority effects." Trends
in ecology & evolution 31.2 (2016): 136-146.
Ursyn, Anna. "Character Development for Visual Storytelling in Traditional and Digital Media."
Visual Approaches to Cognitive Education With Technology Integration. IGI Global,
2018. 304-348.