10 วารสารวิจัยและพัฒนา มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏสวนสุนันทา ปีที่ 2556 Abstract

a. Setting as a mirror 
The setting may reflect a 
prevailing mood or reinforce the 
emotions felt by a character; 
barren landscapes may mirror 
despair and desperation; stormy 
weather may provide a suitable 
backdrop for emotional turmoil. 
However, the setting may also 
be ironic or comment on the 
characters’ state of mind or 
behaviour in an indirect way. 
b. Setting as an antagonist 
The setting of the story often 
shapes the characters’ identities 
and destinies – making people 
what they are. Someone growing 
up in an inner city slum is likely 
to have a different outlook on 
and approach to life than 
someone who has grown up in 
wide open rural spaces, in close 
contact with nature. Stories 
sometimes show us characters 
that are direct products of their 
environment, 
reflecting 
its 
moods and values. Often, 
however, 
stories 
depict 
characters who rebel against 
their restrictive settings and fight 
to break free of their stifling 
environment.
c. Setting as a way of revealing
character 
The manner in which a character 
perceives the setting may tell 
the reader more about the 
character and his or her state of 
mind than about the setting 
itself. When, for example, an 
urban landscape is described by 
a character as ‘desolate’ and 
‘ominous’, the writer may be 

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วารสารวิจัยและพัฒนา มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏสวนสุนันทา ปีที่ 5 2556
telling us more about how the 
character is feeling rather than 
accurately describing the setting. 
The writer is using the outer 
world setting to give us an insight 
into the character’s inner world.