The setting of A Gathering Of Old Men By: Ernest J. Gaines plays an important part of the story and it helps develop the story almost as a character would. The setting of A Gathering Of Old Men is on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation in the 1970s. This is a little bit after the African Americans got there rights; however, they were not in full throttle yet. This is shown when Gaines says, "Like now they are trying to get rid of all proof that black people ever farmed this land with plows and mules-like if they had nothing from the starten but motor machines" (92). This shows that African Americans rights were not in full throttle yet and the white people are still trying to take everything they can from them. It helps build the story because it shows us that even though African Americans have their rights, attitudes towards them are still very racist. If this wasn't present in the story they would have no reason to ban together in the first place. Another example of how the setting develops the story almost as a character is this farmland is a small community where everyone has grown up together and everyone knows each other. This is shown when Gaines says, "You can't see Red Rider with Job, Jack with Diamond. You can't see the church with the people and you can't hear the singing and the praying. You had to be here then to be able to don't see it now and don't hear it now "(92). This shows anyone who isn't part of the community can't understand those little things because they weren't there like the rest of them were. This helps develop the story almost like a character does because it shows that they all have each others back and it shows they all had motives to kill Beau.