Setting

Physical setting

The physical setting of the short story “Stench of Kerosene” by Amrita Pritam reveals that the events take place in rural India. This is suggested by Chamba and Lakarmandi, the home villages of Guleri and Manak (p. 1, ll. 4-6).

An important element of the physical setting is the harvest, which Guleri looks forward to every year: “Guleri always counted the days to the harvest. When autumn breezes cleared the skies of the monsoon clouds she thought of little besides her home in Chamba.” (p. 1, ll. 19-20). The customs connected to the harvest festival are described in the section dedicated to the social setting.

The physical setting is only briefly described, as the story’s focus is more on the inner struggles of the characters and on issues presented by the social setting. However, the story also mentions several place names which add authenticity.

Social setting

The social setting mainly focuses ...