The Mental Hospital

The mental hospital is where the married couple's son resides. It serves as the setting for the first section of the story. It is a crucial setting because it is where a major plot development occurs. At the mental hospital, the married couple discovers that their son has attempted to commit suicide. This is the event that sparks the remainder of the plot.

The Bus and the Train

The bus and the train that the married couple take on the way to and from the mental hospital are important settings because they introduce the theme of misfortune. Since misfortune plagues the married couple throughout the story, this setting is pivotal for the development of the author's exploration of this theme.

The Married Couple's Home

The married couple's home is the setting to which the boy's parents return after their failed visit to the mental hospital. At...