The Lottery: Setting, Atmosphere, and Mood Desert islands, enchanted castles, secret gardens and magical kingdoms are all familiar settings to stories we love. These settings help keep the stories we read interesting, although sometimes we may not realize it, they are actually working on a higher level. The setting an author creates helps to develop the atmosphere and the mood of the story. It gives the reader a certain feel and creates a unique ambience. Diction often plays a large role in this development. This careful selection of words, phrases and description to create a setting is clearly displayed in the essays The Lottery and The Gh