Setting
Time setting
The short story “Beggarland” by Alan Sillitoe was published in 1998. The short story is meant to be read as contemporary to the time when it was written, which is suggested by the setting element of the London Underground and Ben’s plastic gun (a highly debated toy in the 1990s).
When moving in, Greta is dressed in a woollen coat (l. 4), but she is hired to take care of the children during the summer (ll. 23-24), which suggests that it is most likely late winter or spring at the beginning of the story. The story implies a period of time pass between events - “Jane soon stopped imagining there were any mysteries about her” (l. 114); “a few days later” (ll. 102 – 103), etc. These details imply that the story takes place over several weeks.
The presence of the Sunday papers on the kitchen table indicates that it is Sunday. One of Jane remarks also indicates that their discussion takes place in the late morning: “ ‘We don’t eat till two.’ ” (ll. 13-15)
Physical setting
The events in the short story take place in the UK, in London. This is suggested by references to the London Library (l. 118) and several elements of the London Underground, such as the Circle Line or Notting Hill Gate station (ll. 64-65). The story also refers to other well-known places in London, such as Holland Park (l. 19), the South Bank (l. 85), Piccadilly, and St James’s Square (l. 151).
The family lives in a house (l. 59) with a garden, where Ben and Angela play beggars: “Obsessive Ben found Tim’s hiking gear and lay in a sleeping bag by the nettles, while Angela, wearing a filthy old jacket, stooped at the unlit camping gas as if cooking his stew” (ll. 98-100). At the beginning of the story, Jane and Greta are in the kitchen. We can also find references to Greta’s room (ll. 28-29), as well as Jane’s room (ll. 115-116).
Social setting
The story follows the events in Jane’s family. Jane, a mother and writer who works at home, needs free time to work (ll. 22-25). She, therefore, hires Greta to entertain her two small children – Ben and Angela.
