Setting is a tool wielded by writers to add complexity and movement to a narrative. In some narratives, setting is an essential element of the story and becomes a character in itself—influencing the other characters, impacting mood and tone, and evolving in its own history. In the Harry Potter series (1997-2007) by J. K. Rowling, Hogwarts, the school for young witches and wizards, functions as a character; at different points, the castle plays the role of hero, trickster, and mentor. In Westworld, the 2016 television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, a futuristic amusement park shapes the development of the characters and contrasts with the science fiction storyline with its Old West scenery.

In Johnson’s Yellow Wife, real historical settings position Pheby’s experiences within the larger context of the 19th century. The novel is based on the true story of Robert Lumpkin, a jailer responsible for trafficking more than 300,000 enslaved people in a span of 21 years. Like Lapier, Lumpkin kept an enslaved woman as his mistress. However, Johnson’s story is not an account of Lumpkin’s life. Sadeqa Johnson honors Mary, the woman Lumpkin enslaved and forced to bear children.