Setting

Physical setting

The short story “You Are Here” by Dana Miltins takes place in the Australian desert, near Kata Tjuta and Uluru. Uluru is a sacred site for Aboriginals, believed to be a place where ancient spirits still live. It is an important part of Aboriginal cultural identity. 

The phrase 'You are here' highlights how the location influences the woman’s view of the world and of herself. The phrase is used on maps to help people locate themselves, which points to how the woman finds out who she really is in this place. It also suggests that, in this particular place, far away from the city, the woman’s perspective changes naturally, in accordance with the surroundings and the beliefs of the Aboriginals who live there.

Time-wise, the story takes place during the course of a few days, starting from the day the woman arrives at the caravan, which is “right before...