Glasgow in the 1980's

The entirety of the novel is set in neighborhoods that are within or surrounding the Scottish city of Glasgow. The time at which Glasgow is depicted in the novel—the 1980's and early 1990's—is a time of economic recession. The closing of the ship building yards in Glasgow, and the closing of the mines in Pithead are emblematic of this change. The lives of its inhabitants are troubled by the loss of industry jobs. The men are idle and unemployed, and the women are forced into work and benefits offices. The atmosphere of Glasgow is especially dreary due to its usually rainy climate.

Pithead

Pithead is a city-planned housing scheme meant to house the families of the workers of a nearby mine. The neighborhood is marked by its general shabbiness and decay. Amid the fields there are often old household items strewn about, along...