Question

analyze plot and setting
every story has a setting—a time and place for its action. for
science fiction writers, the setting may be in any place in the past,
present, or future. “a sound of thunder” takes place in two distinct
settings—the far distant future and the prehistoric past.

in some stories, the setting is just a backdrop to the plot, or
sequence of events. in this story, the action centers on characters
who travel through time, and the setting directly affects the way the
plot unfolds.

as you read, note in the chart how the setting causes events to
happen, or causes them to happen in a certain way, at different
stages of the plot.

exposition/rising action	climax	falling action/resolution

Explanation:

To analyze the plot and setting of "A Sound of Thunder" and fill in the chart, we can use the following information:

Exposition/Rising Action:

Eckels nervously decides to time travel. He arrives at the Time Safari company and prepares for the journey to the prehistoric past (the setting of the past, filled with dinosaurs, affects his nervousness and the setup for the plot).

Climax:

Eckels panics and steps off the designated path while in the prehistoric past (the setting of the dangerous, dinosaur - filled prehistoric era leads to this crucial event. His action in this unique setting directly impacts the plot's turning point, as stepping off the path has the potential to change the future).

Falling Action/Resolution:

When they return to the future, they find that the world has been subtly (or not - so - subtly) changed due to Eckels' action in the past (the setting of the future is now altered, and the consequences of the events in the prehistoric setting play out here, resolving the plot by showing how the setting (past) affected the final state of the future setting).

If we were to fill the chart with more concise plot - setting related events:

• Climax: Eckels steps off path in prehistoric past.
• Falling Action/Resolution: Future is changed after return.

Answer:

To analyze the plot and setting of "A Sound of Thunder" and fill in the chart, we can use the following information:

Exposition/Rising Action:

Eckels nervously decides to time travel. He arrives at the Time Safari company and prepares for the journey to the prehistoric past (the setting of the past, filled with dinosaurs, affects his nervousness and the setup for the plot).

Climax:

Eckels panics and steps off the designated path while in the prehistoric past (the setting of the dangerous, dinosaur - filled prehistoric era leads to this crucial event. His action in this unique setting directly impacts the plot's turning point, as stepping off the path has the potential to change the future).

Falling Action/Resolution:

When they return to the future, they find that the world has been subtly (or not - so - subtly) changed due to Eckels' action in the past (the setting of the future is now altered, and the consequences of the events in the prehistoric setting play out here, resolving the plot by showing how the setting (past) affected the final state of the future setting).

If we were to fill the chart with more concise plot - setting related events:

• Climax: Eckels steps off path in prehistoric past.
• Falling Action/Resolution: Future is changed after return.