Setting
Physical setting
The short story “Celia Behind Me” by Isabel Huggan takes place in Kitchener, a city in Ontario, Canada. The mentions of Brubacher Street and Church Street help us to determine the setting of the story.
Most of the action takes place on the street, on the way home from school, or at school.
The culvert where the scene in the climax of the story takes place is significant. Celia is afraid of passing through it and calls for Elizabeth to wait for her: “ ‘Elizabeth! Wait for me, okay? I’m scared to go through alone. Elizabeth?’ ” (ll. 113-114). The culvert is symbolic of what both girls are going through, being singled out from the group and bullied. Celia wants Elizabeth to join her because it would be less difficult to put up with being bullied if she has a friend by her side.
Elizabeth is also afraid of the culvert, as shown in her reflection at the en...