Palmetto Valley

Palmetto Valley is an important setting in the short story “Florida”. It is an affluent gated community home to materialistic, high-class families. The short story carefully examines the lives of characters with wildly different personalities and backgrounds – most significantly, it compares the opulent lifestyles of socialites with that of fitness trainers, maids, and the families belonging to the economic diversity initiative. Consequently, Palmetto Valley, illustrates the haunting economic disparity within the community and the social and spiritual consequences resulting from the suburban bubble.

Michigan

Michigan is the primary setting for the short stories “North Country” and “How”. It is snowy and unsympathetically cold in the winter-time. In “North Country”, Kate moves to Michigan to assume her postdoc. The frigidity of the outside air mirrors her internal state of mind and the way she addresses her budding relationship with Magnus. In “How”, Michigan’s icy temperatures reflect the...