Last week's post we talked about using setting as conflict. This week we'll extend that a bit further to using setting as a character in your story. Yes.. a real character. Now you know we have all kind of characters in our books. There's the villain or antagonist, the protagonist or hero, the best friend, the wise mentor, the trouble maker, the person who shadows the hero's flaws, the person the hero wants to be like, etc...
So, how can setting become one of those characters? Easy. If you choose wisely, a setting can do the following:
Destroy the hero
Mentor the hero
Mimic the hero's flaws
Let's say your hero has an alcohol problem, set your scene in a bar where he can watch what alcohol does to others. If he's a control freak, put him in prison. (I did this to Captain Merrick in The Redemption) If he's greedy, put him in a homeless shelter.
Reveal who the hero wants to be
Setting can be a dynamic, breathing character in your story that can either assist or hinder your hero. When you use it this way, your story will have a whole different dimension!