Setting

In this part of the study guide, we present you the time, physical, and social setting of the story “To Feed the Night” by Philip Hensher.

Time setting

The time setting of the short story is clear from the very beginning: “They lived in London at the end of the nineteen eighties” (l. 1). The action spreads over the course of two and a half years and it...

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Physical setting

The main physical setting is the city of London (l. 1). The properties that the two spouses move into as time passes by are other important parts of the physical setting. As you have seen, the spouses move gradually from a modest apartment to a house much bigger than their needs; however, they are not satisfied and desire to move into a still bigger property. Note that each of the places the couple moves into is symbolic of the different stages in their relationship.

Here is an extract in which the first apartment is described: “…and, saying nothing, felt the narrowness of the flat he lived in. His mind roamed quickly over the sitting room and bedroom and bathroom and galley kitchen. It did not take long. He said nothing” (ll. 27-30).

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Social setting

The social setting explores the materialistic society in which the two spouses live. Although their income is average, the husband and the wife don’t want to live in a modest flat. However, they are not interested in working harder or increasing their income but want to find a good bargain: “He let the station for his office swing past, thinking all the time, thirteen thousand pounds, thirteen thousand pounds, from one year to the next, no more, unpromoted, than that.” (ll. 365-367).

They wish to impress their friends, and they take every opportunity to invite them to brag about their new properties: 

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