Florida

The story is set in the state of Florida. The authore, Zora Neale Hurston, lived in Florida for much of her life and set many works of fiction there. The story’s narrative, themes, and aesthetic depictions rely heavily on Florida’s natural features and wildlife, as well as on regional African-American folklore traditions.

The Village

Most of the story takes place in a small town, or village, that is described as having about 300 residents. It is located near Lake Belle. Uncle Monday arrives suddenly in the town one day. Virtually nothing is known about him, but his proficiency in hoodoo soon makes him a fixture of the community.

Uncle Monday’s Shack

After Uncle Monday arrives in the town, he constructs a shack in which to live. People visit him there when they wish for him to facilitate hoodoo rituals. After Emma Pittman found him injured in...