New York City

The majority of Trust is set in New York City during the early twentieth century. The city’s diverse socioeconomics allow the author to explore class and the limitation of social stratification. While Ida, a young woman from a poor neighborhood in Brooklyn, is able to travel into Manhattan for an interview, she feels out of place in the financial district. The city’s elite deride those who do not come from money despite the fact that the labor of working class individuals supports their luxurious lifestyles.

Mr. Belvor's Mansion

Andrew Bevel commissions the construction of his mansion on Fifth Avenue at 62nd Street. The imposing building takes up the majority of the block along Central Park. After his death, the mansion is turned into a museum and houses the personal documents of Andrew and Mildred for public access. The ostentatious home is the setting for...