What role does environmental description play in the novel?

The role of environmental description is multifaceted. In writing, it is generally to highlight the theme, show the character, promote the development of the plot, show the background of the event, show the regional style, customs and so on. Generally speaking, environmental description has the following main functions and functions:

First, compare and depict the mental outlook of the characters. The place where the characters live and the scenery around them are implied in the scenery through description, and the intention in the scenery plays a role in setting off the mental outlook of the characters. For example, Li Jianwu's description of Mount Tai in Climbing Mount Tai in the Rain reflects the author's love for the mountains and rivers of the motherland and his feelings of daring to face difficulties and keep climbing forward.

Second, it can profoundly express the theme of the article. Mao Dun said: "The description of the environment in the works, whether it is social environment or natural environment, is not a dispensable embellishment, but closely related to the thoughts and actions of the characters." In composition, through the description of the environment, the purpose of "expressing feelings with words and expressing feelings with scenery" can also be achieved. Such as the environmental description at the beginning and end of Lu Xun's novel Blessing.

In the actual writing process, natural environment description and social environment description often cross, set off each other and complement each other.

Environmental description refers to the description of the specific social environment and natural environment in which the characters live. Among them, social environment refers to buildings, places, furnishings and other scenery and folk customs that can reflect the characteristics of society and the times. Natural environment refers to seasonal changes, wind, frost, rain and snow, mountains and rivers, lakes and seas, forests, Yuan Ye and other natural scenery. In the novel, environmental description has the following functions:

First, explain the location or background of the incident.

In novels, there is usually a description of the social environment, indicating the location or background of the incident and increasing the authenticity of the story.

For example, the description of the hotel layout in Luzhen at the beginning of Kong Yiji: "The hotel layout in Luzhen is different from other places: it is a big counter facing the street with hot water, which can warm wine at any time. People who go to work often spend four coppers to buy a bowl of wine after work in the afternoon and evening. This was more than twenty years ago, and now every bowl has to rise to ten pence. Standing outside the cupboard, they drank hot drinks and had a rest. If you are willing to spend an extra penny, you can buy a dish of salted bamboo shoots or fennel beans as a drink. You can buy a meat dish for a dozen pence. But most of these customers are short-sleeved gangs, and they are generally not so rich. Only people in robes walk into the house next to the store, ask for wine and vegetables, and sit and drink slowly. "

This kind of environmental description gives the characters a specific activity space, just like a secular painting of a small town in the south of the Yangtze River in the late Qing Dynasty. There is a great disparity between the rich and the poor, and classes are obviously antagonistic. This Xianheng hotel is a microcosm of the dark society at that time, with distinctive characteristics of the times. This description paved the way for the appearance of the protagonist Kong Yiji. Kong Yiji lived in such a social environment, persecuted, insulted, deprived of food and clothing, without sympathy and pity, and finally died tragically.

Second, render the atmosphere.

Generally speaking, every novel has an emotional tone and every work has a specific atmosphere. Writers often use vivid descriptions of natural environment to render the atmosphere of stories, thus enhancing the authenticity of stories and infecting readers.

For example, Mr. Lu Xun's "Hometown" begins with the following words: "Since it is the end of winter, when we approach our hometown, the weather is gloomy again. The cold wind blew into the hut and purred. Looking out from the gap in the canopy, there are several desolate villages across the yellow world, far and near, with no vitality. I can't help but feel sad. " The environmental description of "there are several desolate villages in the yellow world, far and near, lifeless" suddenly sets off the sad atmosphere of the novel.