Setting

Physical setting

The short story “Graveyard Shift” by James M. Reasoner was published in 1978. The time setting depicts events that are likely to happen during that period. This is suggested by aspects such as the name of the store – “KwikStop” (p. 81, l. 7) – and references to modern foods such as junk food and potato chips.

The physical setting is the convenience store where Frank works, which also becomes the setting of the armed robbery. A convenience store is a shop which sells basic items like food, drink, and sanitary products, and which is usually open for long hours, or even non-stop. As the story unfolds and Frank’s reasons for shooting the robber are revealed, it is suggested that Frank has likely killed several other robbers at different convenience stores, which Frank states are “all alike” (p. 83, l. 35). The larger setting is a town most likely somewhere in the US. This is suggested by the fact that Frank carries a gun, which is legal in the US.

Frank sees working at convenience stores as an opportunity to avenge his wife’s death. It is revealed that his wife, Becky, was shot by a robber in another convenience store:

The same emotions that must have been on my wife Be...