The Plains

The wide open spaces, sense of desolation, and difficult terrain of the American Plains is the overall physical setting of the play. At the same time, the struggle to survive on the plains can be seen as the emotional context, and/or trigger, for much of the play's conflict: the family is struggling to survive in the midst of its emotional desolation in the same way as the pioneers struggled to survive in the midst of the physical and psychological desolation associated with the plains.

The Weston Home

The large home of the Weston family is the setting for the play's action. Its physical state (dark, hot, and rundown) is a reflection of the family's essential emotional, psychological, and/or spiritual state.

Beverly's Study

Within the Weston home, there are three rooms that are the settings for important scenes and also have important dramatic / thematic resonances. The...