Chicago

Chicago is the city in Illinois where the short story is set. Although the Teacher "grew up in the country," she moved to the city because her husband is "from the city" (47). The Teacher has presumably been living in Chicago for some time. However, she remains at odds with her urban environment in the narrative present. The city particularly bothers her, because she feels there is no place for the individual to be alone or to die in peace. Because city life often abrades her sensibilities, the Teacher will at times catch herself regretting having married a city man.

School

Large swaths of the short story take place at the school where the Teacher teaches. At the start of the short story, scenes at the school are interspersed with scenes from the Teacher's personal life outside the school. However, as the short story progresses, the images of and...