3. A Painted House takes place in rural Arkankas. It is 1952 when the story begins, which means the story is taking place post-World War II. The Chandlers live on a farm outside of a small city, Black Oak, where everyone knows everyone. Things were very traditional at that time, and everyone in the city and surrounding areas claimed to be Christians because that’s how things were. Going into town was a thing that the farm families did on the weekends and it was considered a treat. The story takes place at at time when America is still industrializing itself. Most people are beginning to live in the cities, especially up north, but there are still many people living on farms and growing crops for money. While the book is fiction, some of the events are based on the authors childhood and the story is very realistic. The events in the story could happen to anyone who lived on a farm at that time. The book gives a very accurate portrayal of life in rural areas during the 1950’s.