Florida, 1920s

The story takes place in the state of Florida, somewhere between the Florida cities of Sanford and Orlando (Sanford is located about 25 miles north of Orlando). Zora Neale Hurston lived for much of her life in Florida. Chronologically, the story appears to be set sometime in the 1920s, which is the decade in which the story was written.

The House

Much of the story takes place at the house in which Isis lives with her father, her brother, and her maternal grandmother. Important events take place both in the house’s yard and inside the house itself. A road passes by the front of the house, and Isis enjoys greeting people who pass by on the road.

The Road

A road passes by the front of Isis’s home. The narrative notes that it extends northward to Sanford, Florida, and it extends southward to Orlando, Florida. Isis...