Final answer:
In "The First Snowfall" by James Russell Lowell, the setting is a blend of the beautiful and the menacing, creating a mood that is both inviting and forbidding. The story takes place in a rural area with an ongoing conflict involving the harsh weather, culminating at a hotel or business.
Step-by-step explanation:
James Russell Lowell sets the scene in "The First Snowfall" by painting a vivid picture of the environment through descriptive language that evokes mood and atmosphere. The setting is depicted as both beautiful and menacing, with the weather playing a prominent role as a living entity. Threatening imagery is used to describe the weather, suggesting a personified antagonist in the form of the wind. Nevertheless, the landscape is also filled with beauty, as reflected by the presence of flowers and natural scenery. Ultimately, the story guides the reader through a journey from a rural area, through the conflict with the weather, and concludes at a place that seems to be a hotel or a business.
The plot of "The First Snowfall" unfolds chronologically, with a simple construct. It starts with the protagonist setting out on a walk despite the threatening weather. The climax involves a battle against the antagonist - the wind, and reaches a resolution as the characters find refuge and comfort by the fire in what appears to be Dobson's hotel.