Literary Landscapes: The Impact of Nature on Plot, Characters, and Themes

Nature as Active Antagonist

Landscape and nature in any book, movie or work of art has always been more than just a setting for characters. The best art always have living, breathing landscapes that play a vital role in the plot. They have characteristics of themselves that make them crucial to the story.

From the enchanted forest in Princess Mononoke to the brutal wilderness of The Revenant, landscape can prove to be a literal antagonist. In fact, a lot of Studio Ghibli films have repeatedly used sentient forms of nature to show that nature is more than just a background, giving it life and characteristics.

Reflecting and Reshaping Identity

The Revenant shows nature as a more biblical character, unrelenting and just. While it can be cruel, it serves to reshape the protagonist’s identity through hardship, pushing him to the limit. On the other hand, Days of Heaven uses nature to reflect the sense of longing and instability that the characters feel, echoing the emotional turmoil they feel. Similarly, in The Banshees of Inisherin, the Irish landscape amplifies the feeling of isolation and existential dread, creating a bleak atmosphere for what would otherwise be deemed scenic.

Setting as Story Catalyst

Even in literature, we can see how the setting can enhance a story. From Shakespeare to Stephen King, all the great writers do this to perfection. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the forest acts as a place for transformation and chaos, being a physical representation of the psychological state of the play’s characters.

In Stephen King’s Misery, the claustrophobic cabin in which the protagonist gets trapped in acts as a character just as terrifying as the antagonist, making the book that much more scary.

From apocalyptic deserts in Mad Max: Fury Road to the idyllic Shire of The Lord of the Rings, environments help dramatize broader social and philosophical questions: What happens when society teeters on the brink, or when people long for home and belonging in an unpredictable world?

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