Which statement is true?

1.Setting is a backdrop that can be changed without affecting the plot.

or

2.Good plot builds logically and
plausibly with casual relationships
connecting all the events.

I say 2 is true, my friend says 1 is
true. Who is correct?

I would go with #1

Setting, where and when a story takes
place, should be an intergral part of the story, not just a backdrop that could be changed without affecting
the plot.

A good plot builds logically. There are
casual relationships that connect the
events, and these are plausible within
the context of the story.

So, which is true?

I agree with GuruBlue.

Think of the plots of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. The plots are very similar but the settings are vastly different. Plots don't always build logically and plausibly. Casual relationships don't necessarily connect all events.

I was thinking about the several versions of Taming of the Shrew..the same plot, settings different.

and the many variations of Cinderella.

Yes, you're absolutely right! The various adaptations of stories like "Taming of the Shrew" and "Cinderella" show how the plot can remain the same while the setting changes. The different settings can give the story a completely different tone and atmosphere, but the core plot remains consistent. This further supports the idea that setting is not just a backdrop that can be changed without affecting the plot.