Background vs. Setting — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 30, 2024
Background refers to the details behind a person's history or a story's events, focusing on origins and reasons, while setting is the specific time and place where a story unfolds.
Difference Between Background and Setting
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Background provides the backdrop of history, context, or circumstances that inform a narrative or a character's development, offering insights into origins, motivations, and environmental influences. Whereas, setting directly influences a story by establishing its time, location, and cultural atmosphere, grounding characters and plot within a specific context.
The background enriches a story or character by adding depth, complexity, and realism through historical, social, or personal details. On the other hand, the setting is crucial for creating mood, supporting plot developments, and influencing characters’ actions and decisions.
While background might delve into a character's past experiences, upbringing, or the historical context affecting the story, setting focuses on the immediate environment, such as the geography, era, and social conditions, directly impacting the narrative's progression.
Background often requires exposition or flashbacks to reveal significant past events or conditions that shape the present narrative or characters. Conversely, the setting is usually described through narrative description and can change throughout the story to reflect shifts in time and place.
Background and setting, though distinct, interact closely within a narrative; the background provides a foundational layer of depth and motivation, while the setting frames the narrative's immediate circumstances and physical boundaries.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
The historical, social, and personal context behind a narrative or character.
The specific time and place where a story or event occurs.
Purpose
To add depth, complexity, and realism.
To establish mood, influence plot, and shape character actions.
Components
History, motivations, environmental influences.
Geography, era, social conditions.
Narrative Role
Offers insights into origins and reasons behind the narrative or characters.
Grounds characters and plot within a specific context.
Method of Revelation
Through exposition, flashbacks.
Through narrative description, can change throughout the story.
Compare with Definitions
Background
Character backstory.
Her background in law enforcement explains her detective skills.
Setting
Historical period.
The setting during the Renaissance adds richness to the narrative.
Background
Cultural background.
The artist's multicultural background influences her diverse artistic styles.
Setting
Social environment.
The novel's setting in a dystopian future explores societal breakdown.
Background
Historical context.
The novel's background of the 1960s civil rights movement adds depth to its characters' struggles.
Setting
Time of day.
The setting at dawn symbolizes new beginnings for the protagonist.
Background
Professional background.
His background in journalism brings a factual rigor to his novels.
Setting
Geographical location.
The story's setting in a remote Alaskan village isolates its characters.
Background
Educational background.
His background in marine biology is evident in his environmental activism.
Setting
Immediate surroundings.
The claustrophobic setting of a spaceship heightens the tension.
Background
The part of a picture, scene, or design that forms a setting for the main figures or objects, or appears furthest from the viewer
The word is written in white on a red background
The house stands against a background of sheltering trees
Setting
The position, direction, or way in which something, such as an automatic control, is set.
Background
The circumstances or situation prevailing at a particular time or underlying a particular event
The political and economic background
Background information
Setting
The context and environment in which a situation is set; the background.
Background
Form a background to
Windswept land backgrounded by the Rockies
Setting
The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place.
Background
Provide with background
The embassy backgrounded American reporters
Setting
(Music) A composition written or arranged to fit a text, such as a poetical work.
Background
The ground or scenery located behind something.
Setting
A mounting, as for a jewel.
Background
The part of a pictorial representation that appears to be in the distance and that provides relief for the principal objects in the foreground.
Setting
A place setting.
Background
The general scene or surface against which designs, patterns, or figures are represented or viewed.
Setting
A set of eggs in a hen's nest.
Background
A position, area, or situation that is not immediately in one's attention or notice
You can hear traffic moving in the background during the interview.
Setting
Present participle of set
Background
(Computers) The environment in which programs operate that the user does not engage with directly
Processes that run in the background.
Setting
The time, place and circumstance in which something (such as a story or picture) is set; context; scenario.
Background
The circumstances and events surrounding or leading up to an event or occurrence.
Setting
The act of setting.
The setting of the sun
The setting, or hardening, of moist plaster of Paris
Background
A person's experience, training, and education
Her background in the arts is impressive.
Setting
A piece of metal in which a precious stone or gem is fixed to form a piece of jewelry.
Background
The cultural or social environment in which a person was brought up or has lived
A class with students from many different backgrounds.
Setting
A level or placement that a knob or control is set to.
The volume setting on a television
Background
Subdued music played especially as an accompaniment to dialogue in a dramatic performance.
Setting
The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does.
Background
Sound that intrudes on or interferes with an audio recording.
Setting
Hunting with a setter.
Background
Low-level radiation, as from radioactive decay, that exists as part of the natural environment.
Setting
Something set in, or inserted.
Background
Less important or less noticeable in a scene or system.
Background noise
The antivirus program runs on a background thread.
Setting
A piece of vocal or choral music composed for particular words (set to music).
Schubert's setting of Goethe's poem
Bach's setting of the Magnificat
Background
One's social heritage, or previous life; what one did in the past.
The lawyer had a background in computer science.
Setting
The mounting of a play, etc., for the stage.
Background
A part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context.
Setting
The direction of a current of wind.
Background
Information relevant to the current situation about past events; history.
Setting
That disappears below the horizon
The setting sun
Background
A less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground).
There was tons of noise in the background.
The photographer let us pick a background for the portrait.
Setting
The act of one who, or that which, sets; as, the setting of type, or of gems; the setting of the sun; the setting (hardening) of moist plaster of Paris; the setting (set) of a current.
Background
(computing) The image or color over which a computer's desktop items are shown (e.g. icons or application windows).
Setting
The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does; also, hunting with a setter.
Background
(computing) A type of activity on a computer that is not normally visible to the user.
The antivirus program is running in the background.
Setting
Something set in, or inserted.
Thou shalt set in it settings of stones.
Background
(physics) background radiation
Setting
That in which something, as a gem, is set; as, the gold setting of a jeweled pin.
Background
To put in a position that is not prominent.
Setting
The time, place, and circumstances in which an event (real or fictional) occurs; as, the setting of a novel.
Background
(journalism) To gather and provide background information (on).
Setting
The context and environment in which something is set;
The perfect setting for a ghost story
Background
Ground in the rear or behind, or in the distance, as opposed to the foreground, or the ground in front.
Setting
The state of the environment in which a situation exists;
You can't do that in a university setting
Background
The space which is behind and subordinate to a portrait or group of figures.
Setting
Arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted
Background
Anything behind, serving as a foil; as, the statue had a background of red hangings.
Setting
The physical position of something;
He changed the setting on the thermostat
Background
A place in obscurity or retirement, or out of sight.
I fancy there was a background of grinding and waiting before Miss Torry could produce this highly finished . . . performance.
A husband somewhere in the background.
Setting
A table service for one person;
A place setting of sterling flatware
Background
The set of conditions within which an action takes place, including the social and physical conditions as well as the psychological states of the participants; as, within the background of the massive budget deficits of the 1980's, new spending programs had little chance of passage by the congress.
Setting
Mounting consisting of a piece of metal (as in a ring or other jewelry) that holds a gem in place;
The diamond was in a plain gold mount
Background
The set of conditions that precede and affect an action, such as the social and historical precedents for the event, as well as the general background{5}; as, against the background of their expulsion by the Serbs, the desire of Kosovars for vengeance is understandable though regrettable.
Setting
(of a heavenly body) disappearing below the horizon;
The setting sun
Background
The signals that may be detected by a measurement which are not due to the phenomenon being studied, and tend to make the measurement uncertain to a greater or lesser degree.
Background
An agreement between a journalist and an interviewee that the name of the interviewee will not be quoted in any publication, although the substance of the remarks may be reported; - often used in the phrase "on background". Compare deep background.
Background
A person's social heritage: previous experience or training;
He is a lawyer with a sports background
Background
The part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground;
He posed her against a background of rolling hills
Background
Information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem;
The embassy filled him in on the background of the incident
Background
Extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured;
They got a bad connection and could hardly hear one another over the background signals
Background
Relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation;
When the rain came he could hear the sound of thunder in the background
Background
The state of the environment in which a situation exists;
You can't do that in a university setting
Background
(computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear
Background
Scenery hung at back of stage
Background
Understate the importance or quality of;
He played down his royal ancestry
Common Curiosities
What is the difference between background and setting?
Background provides the contextual and historical details behind a story or character, while setting specifies the story's time and place.
Why is setting important in a narrative?
Setting establishes the mood, influences the plot, and shapes characters' actions and decisions.
How does background enhance a story?
It adds depth and realism by providing historical, social, or personal context.
How does cultural background influence a character?
It shapes a character's beliefs, behaviors, and perspectives, adding depth to their personality.
Can the setting of a story change?
Yes, the setting can change throughout a story to reflect different times or places.
What is the significance of a story's historical period as part of the setting?
It provides context for societal norms, technologies, and conflicts, enriching the narrative.
Is background always related to the past?
Mostly, as it often involves historical context, character backstories, or past influences on the narrative.
How is setting described in a story?
Through narrative description, detailing the time, place, and social conditions.
Can the setting influence the theme of a story?
Yes, the setting can significantly impact the story's themes by influencing the narrative's mood and environment.
How do authors convey a character's background?
Through dialogue, flashbacks, or narrative exposition, revealing key past events or experiences.
Does the background have to be explicitly stated?
No, it can be implied or revealed gradually through the narrative.
What role does time of day play in setting?
It can influence the mood and symbolism of a scene, such as dawn representing new beginnings.
Can a character’s background change over the course of a story?
The perception of a character's background can change as more details are revealed, but the factual background remains constant.
How does the geographical location contribute to a story's setting?
It influences the plot and character interactions by defining the physical landscape and possible challenges.
Is it necessary for every story to have a detailed background and setting?
While not every story requires detailed background and setting, they enrich the narrative and provide a fuller understanding of characters and plot.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Enlarge vs. Expand
Next Comparison
Jaden vs. JaydenAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
