As the story belongs to the western genre, it is primarily set in the Wild West. The main action occurs in four settings. The first is on the train carrying Jack Potter and his bride from Texas. The comfort and opulence of the train are juxtaposed with the other three settings, all of which are located in the fictional town of Yellow Sky: the saloon, the town’s abandoned streets, and Potter’s house. These last three settings are empty and still, rapidly approaching obsolescence and evoking the image of a ghost town. By situating the drama within these spaces, the author demonstrates the moribund nature of Yellow Sky, as it stands to be replaced by the march of progress from the East.

The intent of a parody is to imitate a particular work or genre for comedic effect, often by exaggerating its most identifiable elements. Crane parodies the western genre by adhering to its standard conventions, most notably through his exaggerated depictions of the villain, Scratchy Wilson, and his “ancient enemy” (23), Potter. However, they are not so much enemies as two actors endlessly replaying a role that is becoming obsolete.