Rural Illinois

For most of the book, Jo describes her childhood only as a vague, small Midwestern town. In the essay "The Family Hour," however, Jo reveals that she grew up specifically in Moline, Illinois (117). Moline is the primary setting in the essays "Behind the Screen," "Bulldozing the Baby," "The Family Hour," and also may be the primary setting of "Waiting." Moline also is the main setting of the frequent flashbacks in the essays "Cousins" and "The Boys of My Youth." Moline is a place where Jo was allowed to have a free, idyllic childhood, where she would spend long summer days, for instance, calling the houses of boys she had a crush on, only to be too shy to think of saying anything (152-153).

Iowa City

At some point in her adulthood, Jo moves to Iowa City, which is the main location in "The Fourth State of Matter...