Setting

Physical setting

The story “Hope” by Jonathan Santlofer takes place in New Jersey, United States of America (l. 29). The events take place during a time when abortions were illegal in the US. This explains why they have to keep their expedition a secret. Artie’s roommate reads a newspaper with the headline “IMPEACH JOHNSON” (l. 63). This refers to former American president Lyndon B. Johnson, who served between 1963-1969 during the Vietnam War. Therefore, we can conclude the story takes place in the 1960s. The action begins on a Sunday morning, and we follow up on the characters several weeks later. The conclusion of the story takes place five years later.

The setting at the beginning of the story is empty and desolate: “not many cars on the road and what sun there is, a hazy globule lol...