Ray Bradbury: Short Stories
Glass Roses by Alden Nowlan Setting Question
The setting in “The Glass Roses” symbolizes and reinforces the central conflict of the story. The contrasting setting details mirror the story’s conflict.
Find examples that illustrate each of these contrasts: tumult and calm , cold and warmth , darkness and light, ugliness and beauty, present/reality versus past/imagination/memory.
a. Find illustrations of each of these contrasts. For example, find all the places in the story where the wind is blowing (tumult) and all the places where the wind dies down or there is shelter from the wind (calm).
b. What does each of these various contrasts represent?
c. Why has Nowlan chosen as isolated setting for his story?
d. What various purposes do the setting details from Leka’s past serve?