Setting

“Hollywood” by Bobby Nayyar is set in modern London, in contemporary times (as the date of publishing indicates).

Physical setting

The general physical setting of London is constructed using several specific frames: the Hollywood cinema, Tarsem’s house, the two coffee shops and Sae’s studio.

Out of these elements, most attention is given to the Hollywood cinema and Sae’s studio. The cinema is a symbolic place for the narrator as it provides him with an escape from the stress of his life and it is the place where he meets Sae:

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Social setting

The social setting depicts London in modern times, with its cultural diversity and changing landscape:

If there’s one thing I love about London, it’s that cinemas are still part of communities. They haven’t been exiled to the outskirts of the city, they are there with the people, changing like the seasons, struggling just like everyone else. (ll. 1-3)

Note that the story features characters which are not ethnically British; Tarsem has Punjabi (Indian) roots and Sae is Japanese. For this reason, the social setting of the story also reflects Indian customs and views through Tarsem’s parents and their relationship with their son, as well as parts of Japanese culture.

Tarsem’s parents want him to find a job and a purpose in life and are disappointed in him failing to do so. Furthermore, his mother scolds him for spending the nights out and gradually stops pampering him as a way to pressure Tarsem into getting a job: “Mother stopped swaddling me, laundry and ironing stopped first, then my favourite dishes, then came talk of me paying rent.” (ll. 175-177)

Here, you could also focus on the issue of unemployment upon youngsters. The story touches upon this ardent issue and shows that even if youngsters have finished their studies and have a university degree,...

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