Preview
For this assignment, we were asked to describe where our story would be taking placing using the five senses. The story that I wrote and have been thinking about for years takes place in three different settings, which I realize after writing was too much for this assignment. Below you will find my description of my fictional places.
Completed Assignment
My story takes place in three main places. The first is East Anglia, where Walter Holgate and his family live. It’s a beautiful place with Tudor style homes, large stone churches, and quaint little town squares littered all over. For Walter, however, he lives in the outskirts in a very small home made of wood and mud. Their farm animals lived in the same house, which was customary for peasants during that time. Walter’s home, as well as himself and the family, reeked of sweat and manure. You could almost taste the stench in the air. The other thing that Walter commonly smelled was the dark rye bread his mother cooked or the stew made out of peas, beans and onions found on their farm. The home was poorly made and would often cause their feet to hurt due to splinters. There was the constant sound of farm animals at Walter’s home as well as the sound of his toddler sister.
The second place that this story takes place is the Atlantic ocean and around the African coast. Considering that Waler’s profession is being a senior petty officer aboard a ship created for exploration, is it any surprise that most of this story will take place on a ship? In the beginning of this story, the water is calm and clear. As the climax hits, the tone is reflected in the waves. Walter isn’t sensitive to being out on the ocean but can still feel the rocking of the ship when they reach bad waters. There’s the constant sound of the crewmen singing songs to help the time pass by faster or the captain barking orders. There are certain smells depending on where you are in the ship. On the main portion of the caravel, the smell of the ocean water is almost overwhelming. Down in the sleeping quarters, the smell of vomit and fecal matter is everywhere. Those with weaker stomachs sleep with a poorly crafted bucket that inevitably leaks out onto the wooden floor. Thankfully, the ship itself feels more sturdy than anything actually on the ship so that’s something to put Walter’s mind at ease.
The third and final place that this story takes place is a small town on the coast of South Africa where Walter and his younger brother meet Elizabeth at a brothel. The town is quaint, consisting mostly of taverns and brothels. There are a few houses by the dock for fishermen and sailors alike. It’s incredibly hot there and the air smells of meat and alcohol. It’s mostly grass there, which is a nice change for the sailors to feel under their feet.
Ink and Crystals 