The setting is an important narrative element in prose. In some stories, it even plays a main part in the conflict. This occurs in the short stories Blackout by Roger Mais and To Da-duh, in Memoriam by Paule Marshall. Blackout is set in Jamaica during World War II. Jamaica is contrasted with America. At this time, Jamaica has an electricity conservation policy meaning that, during the night, the city is in partial blackout. At the time of their meeting, it is dark and the atmosphere is one of tension in the city due to the rumours of hooligans attacking women. Furthermore, the Jamaicans are strong and proud of their heritage. In To Da-Duh, in Memoriam, the setting is also in a Caribbean country- St. Andrews, Barbados. It is also contrasted with America, more specifically, New York. An old lady tries to showcase the natural beauty of her country to her granddaughter. St. Andrews has sugar-canes, orchards, the Bissex hill and, the tallest thing known by the grandmother, a royal palm. Blackout is set during the dark, tense time when the black man approaches the white woman at a bus stop to ask for a light for his cigarette. The woman, being a firm racist, finds it interesting that she was approached by a black man, especially at this time. After having to use her cigarette to give him a light, she carelessly tosses it away, no longer wanting to use it. Unlike America, the people of Jamaica do not believe in superiority of any racial group over another. The black man coldly and sarcastically apologised for making her waste an entire cigarette. She then thinks that it is indecent to be jawing with a black man at a dark street corner. They argue for a while until the bus comes and she leaves. The setting is also symbolic as the blackout shows the darkness in the womans mind- both as ignorance of the truth and as wickedness. In To Da-Duh, in Memoriam, the American girls Da-Duh tries to show her that her home, St. Andrews, is by far superior in every way to the little girls own. She shows her all the trees, sugar-cane and the hills. The little girl speaks about all the snow and the industrialization: the technology and the tall buildings. In this queer competition, the Da-Duh pulls out her trump card, a royal palm, in an attempt to woo her granddaughter. The granddaughter, however, combats it the Empire State Building. Even though Da-Duh feels defeated, the little girl comes to see the richness of Da-Duhs life. Unfortunately, both Da-Duh and her culture pass away due to technology, that is, aeroplanes.In Blackout, the choice of narrator is effectively used to develop the story. Using the white woman as narrator gives us an insight into the mind of a racist. It shows us how she perceives black people. This narrative technique effectively reveals that humans ascribe attitudes and motives to others, making assumptions based on prejudice. For example, she described the man as being coldly speculating, contemptuous and aloof. In To Da-Duh, in Memoriam, the theme is very significant. It is not just about a girl and her grandmother trying to persuade the other that their life is better. It is about the difference in cultures and the generation gap. The traditional Caribbean lifestyle centred on nature is contrasted with the industrialized American lifestyle. Although the little girl initially believes New York to be more interesting than boring Barbados, she is eventually swayed by the grandeur of nature. In both stories, the setting plays an important role. The setting of the Caribbean is contrasted with America. In both cases, it is shown that the Caribbean values and morals by far outweigh those of America.