There are two story lines in the novel. The first story is set in New Wye, a small New England town. The second story is set in a foreign land called Zembla. The first story begins with John Shade, a poet and professor, who lives in New Wye. He is considered as a successful writer. He is respected in literary circles. The final work by Shade is a poem titled "Pale Fire." The poem "Pale Fire" has four cantos. There are 999 lines in the poem. Before writing the final line, line 1000, John Shade dies. Literature Help: Pale Fire Copyright Introduction Chapter Two: Structure of the Novel Chapter Three: Plot Summary Chapter Four: Characters Chapter Five: Complete Summary Foreword Canto One Canto Two Canto Three Canto Four Kinbote's Commentary on "Pale Fire" Chapter Six: Critical Analysis