Setting

Time setting

Catherine Moffat’s short story “Better Homes and Gardens” was written in 2016, and the setting is probably meant to be read as contemporary to the time of publishing. This is suggested when the narrator talks about being unable to keep up with the content shared on popular contemporary social media platforms like YouTube (l. 85), and the family mentions members of the current cast of Better Homes and Gardens (ll. 48-49).

The action takes place over the span of several days, which is indicated by references to the days of the week and the family’s routine. For instance: “After dinner on Friday” (l. 46). The narrator similarly notes: “Saturdays if the weather's no good, we go to the library” (l. 58). Thus, we get an insight into ordinary life for this homeless family. 

Physical setting

The story is set in Australia. Although this is not directly stated in the story, the physical setting is suggested by cues such as the family watching an Australian television show or going to the beach every day. The father also mentions Queensland (l. 44), the second-largest state in Australia.

The events of the story take place in various settings. The main setting is the family’s car. This is the place where the family stores their belongings: “We change into our swimmers in the car and Dad shakes the creases out of our school uniforms and hangs them up next to his shirts on the coat-hangers suspended above the back seat window” (ll. 7-9). It is also revealed that the family sleeps in the car: “We stop the car and Dad puts Grace to sleep in the back seat and then we sit and listen to the radio for a while and then it's my turn to go to bed” (ll. 29-30).

The family also spends a lot of time at the beach, where the children play, take a shower, and do their homework: “If it's warm, we play on the beach building sand-castles and stuff with Grace” (l. 10). They also spend time at the park and at fast food restaurants. The family also goes to a laundromat where they watch television, and a library where the family reads and use the computer. This shows how the narrator's father has struggled to create a new kind of routine for his family after losing his wife, job, and home. They may be homeless, but there is a certain degree of stability in their life, which children need.

Another setting is the school where the narrator and his sister study. The children are escorted across the road by a supervisor and then make their way towards the place where their father usually parks the car: “Dad doesn't hang about the school gate like the other parents. He parks around the corner just up from the lollipop lady. I hold tight to Grace's hand as Mrs Vargas hurries us across the road” (ll. 1-2). At first, we get the impression that the father is just a cool dad since he does not cling to his children when sending th...