Welcome to Settler's Landing...
in America's post apocalyptic future
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
The setting of this book takes place in a small town that is in the heart of America, a "...desolate landscape left ravaged after a brutal war,". The U.S. and China had gone to war and the Chinese decided to kill two-thirds of America's population with a weaponized strain of influenza.
The Atmosphere of the Setting
In The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, the setting is a very dark and desolate landscape in which no one wants to live. The setting's atmosphere is something most characters have adjusted to. There are many ways these characters have accomplished this, whether it be to become a salvager or a slaver, but some try to rebuild some form of government in order to prevent chaos and survive. In this book, Stephen finds himself in desperate need of medical help because of what happened to his father, and even though Stephen is extremely reluctant to accept the help of this group of strangers, he decides to take a bold risk to try to save his father.
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
How does setting affect the characters?
This post apocalyptic environment has a great influence on the characters. For instance, Stephen's grandfather used to be a stern, but caring father. After the eleventh plague, or P11, tore through America and Stephen's grandmother died, Stephen's grandfather became a brutal man that beat his grandson often. For some characters, the world they live in affects them very deeply, causing the characters to ponder about what they should do with their life, or even if it's worth living.
How Does Setting Influence the Plot?
A few aspects of the setting have an impact on the plot of this story. The setting, if in an earlier time, would not change much of anything since in the book, electric technology is worthless because of a lack of electricity generation. However, if the story took place in a different country it would make it a lot harder for one to survive because there could be more drastic temperature fluctuations, or there could be different and potentially harmful wildlife. This would make it harder for people to travel throughout the landscape, thus causing Stephen's encounter with the residents of Settler's Landing less likely.