Setting

The short story “Departure Time” by Tessa Green is set on a train ride from Patras to Piraeus, in Greece. Published in 2013, we can assume the events in the story were meant to be contemporary to the time of publishing.…

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Physical setting

The physical setting includes depictions of Patras train station, the seats on the train, and the Greek landscape:

Patras station is tall and yellow with pale marble floors, more solid than the bus …

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Social setting

The social setting is a more important aspect of the story because it illustrates aspects related to cultural differences and relationships.

Samantha falls in love with a Greek man while on holiday and subsequently moves to Greece for him. She marries young, moves in with Nikos’ parents and has a child. But the initial romance is eroded by Nikos’ behaviour and that of his family,…