Setting

First of all, note that the time setting of the short story “Me and Mr. Harry” by Batya Swift Yasgur is not specified. The author does not provide a particular date or year for the events, which is a way of showing that the story depicts events that might as well take place anytime, in any given place. However, the story is probably set…

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Physical setting

The physical setting, however, is more detailed. Although the exact city or town where the events take place is not mentioned, there are several important places which need to be mentioned: Mr. Harry’s house, the “stuffy green room just outside the principal’s office” (l. 2), the narrator’s house, the courthouse, and the school.

Mr. Harry’s house is cozy and makes the narrator feel sa…

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Social setting

As the story reveals, the narrator was sexually abused by an older man, but she did not see the event as inappropriate or abnormal. On the contrary, Mr. Harry made her feel unique and special and made her believe that their relationship was based on love. The adults, however, immediately recognize a case of pedophilia and take the necessary measures to send Mr. Harry to jail.

One of the main reasons why the narrator was drawn to Mr. Harry is the fact that she is neglected and ignored by her parents. Both her mother and father are only concerned with their work and ignore their daughter’s…