Setting

The time setting of the short story “Love in the Suburbs” by Maeve Binchy reveals that the action spreads over the course of a few years, from the time Bonnie is 15 to her first year of college – when she is probably 19. Note that no specific year is mentioned in the text, which means that the author has chosen to focus on the evolution of the main character and not on specific dates. However, due to the mentioning o…

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Social setting

The social setting focuses on different aspects related to teenagers. First, the text shows how easily impressionable teenagers are, particularly when it comes to their friends. Before inviting Justine and Sheila to her house, Bonnie is not ashamed of the suburbs and she is quite happy with her life. After inviting them home and listening to their comments about the suburbs, Bonnie becomes confused, as she cannot understand why her parents chose to live in a place that is “neither full city nor full country” (p. 76, ll. 24-25). Bonnie then feels that she will never make real friends, showing how social rejection can feel disproportionately devastating for teenagers.

Then, the social setting touches upon a young adult’s frustration upon not being able to experience the full city life while in coll…