The Landlady: Setting

The SETTING of "The Landlady" is

• present day America

• England, immediately following World War II

• a New England village during Revolutionary times

• London, England during the present

How does the following paragraph contribute to the development of the setting?

The room itself, so far as he could see in the half-darkness, was filled with pleasant furniture. There was a baby-grand piano and a big sofa and several plump armchairs; and in one corner he spotted a large parrot in a cage. Animals were usually a good sign in a place like this, Billy told himself; and all in all, it looked to him as though it would be a pretty decent house to stay in. Certainly it would be more comfortable than The Bell and Dragon.

• It describes how hideous the rooming house was.

• It describes how dark and gloomy the Bed and Breakfast was.

• It describes how inviting the boarding house was.

• It describes how basic and simple the boarding how was.

The setting in “The Landlady” contributes to the overall mood of the story because setting seems warm, cozy and inviting, but as the story goes on details about the setting start to make the reader feel the suspenseful and creepy ______ of the story.

One example from the text that demonstrates how Dahl uses the setting to create suspense is when Dahl writes:

• “there were no other hats or coats in the hall. There were no umbrellas, no walking sticks- nothing.”

• “Five and sixpence is fine,” he answered. “I should like very much to stay here.”

• “Thank you,” Billy said. “Thank you ever so much.”

• “Excuse me,” he said, “but is there a fairly cheap hotel not too far away from here?”

Another example from the text that demonstrates how Dahl uses the setting to create suspense is when Dahl writes:

• “Find your own lodgings,” he had said, “and then go along and report to the branch manager as soon as you’ve got yourself settled.”

• “If that is too much,” she added, “then perhaps I can reduce it just a tiny bit.

• “Just hang it there,” she said, “and let me help you with your coat.”

• “And suddenly, he realized that this animal had all the time been just as silent and motionless as the parrot.