Setting

Here, we discuss the time, physical, and social setting of “Scary Movies” by Stephen Amidon.

Physical setting

The physical setting of the short story is concisely explained. The narrator and his parents live “just a few miles from New York City” (l. 36) in a segregated town. The following extract is very precise when it describes how the narrator’s town had a clear neighborhood distinction:

There were two distinct neighborhoods, divided by a downtown shopping district. Our western half was affluent and white, while the eastern section was poor and black. There was little contact...

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Time setting

When it comes to the time setting, note that the events take place in 1968, which the narrator depicts as “a banner year for fear” (l. 2):

I was nine years old when I discovered the Roxy Theatre and learned something about fear. It was 1968, a banner year for fear,...

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Social setting

The social setting touches upon a large number of historical events and issues related to the year of 1968. As the previous excerpt shows, 1968 was a year marked by fear caused by the US’ involvement in the war in Vietnam but also by the civil rights movements. Many Americans were opposed to the US’ decision to dispatch soldiers to Vietnam, so several protests on this matter took place. When he talks about the long-haired kids protesting, the narrator hints at the May 1968 protests held by students in France. The students, together with several other protesters around Europe and the US, protested against political repression and dictatorial governments.

The social setting of the story also touches upon the issue of segregation in many American cities:

There were two distinct neighborhoods, divided by a downtown shopping district. Our western half was affluent and white, while the eastern section was poor and black. There was little contact...

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