Setting

Time setting

T. Coraghessan Boyle’s short story “She’s the Bomb” was first published in 2017, and the setting is probably meant to be read as contemporary to the time of publishing. The presence of technological aspects such as drones (l. 7) also suggests a contemporary setting.

The action of the story takes place over the span of a few months. The story begins in spring, when Hailey attends the graduation ceremony and “the trees are just beginning to unfold their leaves after the long winnowing blast of an upstate winter” (ll. 11-12). There are skips in time due to Hailey remembering things from her past, like the Thanksgiving break she spent at home (l. 97) or the winter break when she broke up with Connor (l. 106). The outcomes of Hailey’s arrest are presented six months later, when she still has “two and a half years left of the three years’ probation they gave her” (l. 143).

Physical setting

The story takes place in the United States. The geographical location is centered around the state of New York (l. 11). Two fictional towns are named: Hibernia in New York (l. 11) and Poughquasic Falls which is “fifteen miles south of Hibernia” (l. 145).

At the beginning of the story, Hailey is at the First Niagara Bank Center quad (l. 27) attending the graduation ceremony of Hibernia College. After Hailey’s bomb threat, the event moves to the Threlkeld Arena (l. 91). Later, when she is released on probation, Hailey starts working at Nordstrom Rack in Poughquasic Falls (l. 142). Other locations such as Hailey’s hometown, two student bars, and Fenste...