How does the setting affect the mood of the story?.
In this story, the setting is the biggest factor in setting the mood. The author uses it to create tension, fear and negativity. Sinclair Ross uses the wind, dust, lack or rain and poor soil to help us understand the problems of the couple. The darkness and constant wind create conflict between Ellen and Paul as well as between Paul and his environment. This causes us to have a pessimistic view of the land and in turn of the story. The lack of rain caused the the soil to be dry and infertile, which meant that Paul and Ellen couldn't grow the necesary crops and make a profit. THis caused a lot of tension between the two of them, which drastically affected the mood. Instead of a cheerful lunch it became a tense, angry lunch which affects the outcome of the story. The prairies are portrayed as a desolate, barren, horrible place which the author uses to create a tension. "They lay black, naked. Beaten and mounded smooth with dust as if a sea of gentle swell had turned to stone" (page 117) All this is caused by the wind. The author's description of the wind causes the reader to view it negatively as well. "There were two winds: the wind in flight, and the wind that pursued. The one sought refuge in the eaves, whimpering, in fear; the other assailed it there, and shook the eaves apart making it flee again." (page 110) He makes it seem like the one wind it out to get the other and is an evil thing. It causes the reader to fear the wind just as Ellen does and be thankful they are not subjected to it. .
2. What is signifigant about Ellen's "immobile stare"?.
Ellen's "immobile stare" represents her feelings about their situation. She feels trapped and fearful on the prairies. The wind scares her and forces her to stay inside her house day in and day out. She is constantly watching and waiting for the wind to die down and the rain to come but it doesn't, and there is nothing she can do about that.
