Consider the role of the setting in the story and the lives of these two women (and their daughters?).

“Roman Fever,” was an example of perspective and the generational divide between the mothers and their daughters, as well as the generations before them. Mrs. Slade provided a somewhat uncomfortable monologue in which she described, “what different things Rome stands for to each generation of travelers. To our grandmothers, Roman fever; to our mothers, sentimental dangers—how we used to be guarded!—to our daughters, no more dangers than the middle of Main Street. They don’t know it—but how much they’re missing!” The setting plays a large role in this revelation as the two mothers were vacationing in Rome. The two to sat together quietly and reflected. From this position they were able to see their daughters down the stairs. The ability to physically see the difference in their daughter’s actions also effected their comments and thoughts. The two had very similar backgrounds as they were both widows with children. Their pasts made them alike as people and the setting allowed them to take note of how the different generations past and present are living in a different world, with different perspectives.