Setting vs. Location — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 26, 2024
Setting encompasses time, place, and context within a narrative, while location specifically refers to the physical place or position.
Difference Between Setting and Location
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Setting is a broader term in storytelling, encompassing the time period, geographical place, and socio-political context. This provides a backdrop against which characters interact and events unfold. On the other hand, location refers more narrowly to the specific physical place where an event occurs or where a particular object or character is situated.
Setting often plays a crucial role in establishing the mood, theme, and atmosphere of a story, contributing to the reader's or viewer's immersion. Whereas location, while contributing to setting, primarily offers a concrete sense of place but may not inherently convey mood or theme.
In literature and film, setting can influence characters' behaviors, decisions, and interactions, reflecting the importance of historical and cultural contexts. Meanwhile, location, though important, usually serves as a backdrop that enables these interactions without necessarily influencing them.
Authors and filmmakers carefully choose settings to enhance narrative depth and emotional resonance, leveraging time and environment to enrich storytelling. Conversely, locations are selected for scenes based on their ability to visually represent the story's setting or to meet practical considerations for production.
Setting is dynamic and can change throughout a narrative, affecting plot development and character evolution. Location, however, often remains static, serving as a consistent stage upon which the narrative's events unfold.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Encompasses time, place, and context in a narrative.
Refers specifically to the physical place.
Scope
Broad, including cultural, historical, and social aspects.
Narrow, focusing on geographical aspects.
Role in Story
Sets mood, theme, and atmosphere; affects plot and characters.
Provides a concrete sense of place.
Influence
Can influence character behavior and plot development.
Primarily serves as a backdrop.
Changeability
May change throughout a narrative to affect the story.
Usually static within the context of a scene.
Compare with Definitions
Setting
A device or place where something is fixed or takes place.
The jeweler worked meticulously on the diamond's setting.
Location
A place where something happens or is set, or that has a particular event associated with it.
The film's location was chosen for its stunning landscapes.
Setting
The combination of time, place, and social context within a narrative.
The setting of The Great Gatsby is the Roaring Twenties in New York.
Location
A particular place or position.
The location of the lost city has remained a mystery for centuries.
Setting
The environment or background against which events unfold in a story.
The eerie setting of the haunted mansion added to the suspense.
Location
In geography, a specific place on the Earth's surface.
GPS technology can determine your exact location.
Setting
The time and place of the action in a work of fiction, play, film, etc.
The novel's setting moves from rural Ireland to bustling New York City.
Location
A setting or position in a specific place used for a particular purpose.
The new restaurant's location is ideal for attracting tourists.
Setting
The arrangement or environment for a particular activity.
The setting for the conference was a large, well-lit hall.
Location
The action or process of locating something.
The location of new housing developments is often controversial.
Setting
The position, direction, or way in which something, such as an automatic control, is set.
Location
In geography, location or place are used to denote a region (point, line, or area) on Earth’s surface or elsewhere. The term location generally implies a higher degree of certainty than place, the latter often indicating an entity with an ambiguous boundary, relying more on human or social attributes of place identity and sense of place than on geometry.
Setting
The context and environment in which a situation is set; the background.
Location
A particular place or position
The property is set in a convenient location
Setting
The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place.
Location
An area where black South Africans were obliged by apartheid laws to live, usually on the outskirts of a town or city. The term was later replaced by township.
Setting
(Music) A composition written or arranged to fit a text, such as a poetical work.
Location
The act or process of locating
Location of the lost hikers took two days.
Setting
A mounting, as for a jewel.
Location
A place where something is or could be located; a site.
Setting
A place setting.
Location
A site away from a studio at which part or all of a movie is shot
Filming a Western on location in the Mexican desert.
Setting
A set of eggs in a hen's nest.
Location
A tract of land that has been surveyed and marked off.
Setting
Present participle of set
Location
A particular point or place in physical space.
Setting
The time, place and circumstance in which something (such as a story or picture) is set; context; scenario.
Location
An act of locating.
Setting
The act of setting.
The setting of the sun
The setting, or hardening, of moist plaster of Paris
Location
(South Africa) An apartheid-era urban area populated by non-white people; township.
Setting
A piece of metal in which a precious stone or gem is fixed to form a piece of jewelry.
Location
(legal) A leasing on rent.
Setting
A level or placement that a knob or control is set to.
The volume setting on a television
Location
A contract for the use of a thing, or service of a person, for hire.
Setting
The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does.
Location
The marking out of the boundaries, or identifying the place or site of, a piece of land, according to the description given in an entry, plan, map, etc
Setting
Hunting with a setter.
Location
(Kenya) An administrative region in Kenya, below counties and subcounties, and further divided into sublocations.
Setting
Something set in, or inserted.
Location
The act or process of locating.
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
Location
Situation; place; locality.
Setting
The mounting of a play, etc., for the stage.
Location
That which is located; a tract of land designated in place.
Setting
The direction of a current of wind.
Location
A leasing on rent.
Setting
That disappears below the horizon
The setting sun
Location
A point or extent in space
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.
Location
The act of putting something in a certain place or location
Setting
The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does; also, hunting with a setter.
Location
A determination of the location of something;
He got a good fix on the target
Setting
Something set in, or inserted.
Thou shalt set in it settings of stones.
Setting
That in which something, as a gem, is set; as, the gold setting of a jeweled pin.
Setting
The time, place, and circumstances in which an event (real or fictional) occurs; as, the setting of a novel.
Setting
The context and environment in which something is set;
The perfect setting for a ghost story
Setting
The state of the environment in which a situation exists;
You can't do that in a university setting
Setting
Arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted
Setting
The physical position of something;
He changed the setting on the thermostat
Setting
A table service for one person;
A place setting of sterling flatware
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
Setting
(of a heavenly body) disappearing below the horizon;
The setting sun
Common Curiosities
How does setting affect a story?
Setting establishes the mood, theme, atmosphere, and can influence character behavior and plot development.
Is location important in storytelling?
Yes, location provides a concrete sense of place that helps ground the story in reality.
Can setting change in a story?
Yes, setting can change to reflect shifts in time, place, or mood, affecting the narrative's direction.
How do authors choose a setting?
Authors choose settings to enhance narrative depth, emotional resonance, and to support the story’s themes.
How do readers perceive setting?
Readers perceive setting through descriptions and its influence on the story, which aids in their immersion.
Can a location also be a setting?
Yes, a location can be part of a setting, but setting encompasses more elements like time and context.
Do settings have to be realistic?
Settings can be realistic, fantastical, or a blend of both, depending on the story's needs.
Can the setting of a story be abstract?
Yes, settings can be abstract or symbolic, representing more than just physical locations.
What is the difference between setting and location?
Setting includes time, place, and context within a narrative, while location is specifically the physical place.
Can a film have multiple locations?
Yes, films often use multiple locations to visually represent different parts of a story's setting.
How does location scouting work for films?
Location scouting involves finding places that visually match the story’s setting and meet production needs.
How does setting interact with characters?
Setting can shape characters’ backgrounds, influence their decisions, and affect their interactions with others.
What role does historical context play in setting?
Historical context can greatly influence characters, plot, and the overall mood of the story.
Is setting more important than plot?
Setting and plot are equally important but serve different roles in storytelling.
How do settings contribute to genres?
Settings can define genres, like science fiction or historical drama, by establishing recognizable environments.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
