The Importance of Setting within Mama Day by Gloria Naylor

The novel Mama Day by Gloria Naylor explores both the intriguing relationship between a young city boy and a culturally confused girl, George and Ophelia, and the simple yet supernatural life of an old, wise woman on an isolated island entirely detached from the civilized world around her. Ophelia, or Cocoa, becomes a link between the chaotic world and hustle and bustle of the mainland and the life of Willow Springs that connects her into a cultural and much different identity. The setting of a novel and the distinct portrayal of the time, place, and environment of what is occurring are often essential to the understanding of the true essence of a novel. In this case, the element of the setting is most important to the novel as a whole, establishing the grounds for the several diverse perspectives and "realities" for Naylor's significant characters. …