Ch-ch-changes."Kew Gardens" has a very distinct historical setting. On the surface, the garden setting might seem timeless, but references to war, machinery, and industrialization remind us that the characters' are living in a period of tremendous modernization. They can try to escape it by taking a pretty garden stroll, but the truth is that it's never far away…
Questions About Modernization
- How do references to modernization contrast with the story's idyllic setting?
- What's the significance of these references in the story?
- How does knowledge of modernization shape characters' experiences and thoughts in the story?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Reminders of the modern world penetrate the characters' lives even while they stroll through Kew Gardens.
The gardens themselves might be taken as instances of modernization: they are engineered settings within an urban environment.