So, it's high time to analyse the setting of the story....

The scene is laid in Greenwich Village in a joint studio. It touches upon an important event in the life of the main characters: Sue and Johnsy. There is an ivy out of the window.The evens take place around this ivy. The leaf is like a symbol of life here. As for me, the whole story is written in pessimistic mood.  The setting of the events in a given extract is realistic. It is presented in a general way.