Hometown

The Bee Sting is set in an unnamed town in Ireland. This is the location where the Barnes family resides. Although their hometown is never given a name, it infuses the narrative with tension throughout the novel.

For all of the characters, the town is symbolic of entrapment. When Dickie is growing up, he is desperate to leave the town and to create a life for himself elsewhere. Moving to Dublin grants him a sense of liberation and newness. However, after he is attacked and after Frank's death, Dickie moves back home. He does not want to give up his life in the city, but feels responsible for the family business and for Imelda's happiness. Imelda similarly feels trapped by the town, as she had hoped that her relationship with Frank might offer her a life beyond it.

The town traps Cass and PJ, too. They lack a...