Elevate Your Writing with Emotions: Master the Art of Sympathetic Backgrounds

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What is sympathetic background

Sympathetic background is a literary device where the surroundings (atmosphere / setting) reflect the emotions of characters. This technique is widely used by famous writers because it is an effective way to draw readers in. By using the weather or setting to accentuate the characters’ moods, readers are able to better visualise how the characters are feeling, making them relatable and real. Let’s take a look at some examples.

Dark clouds scudded in the sky while flashes of light streaked across it intermittently. A lone figure in the vast field, Julie stood unsteadily, her sunken eyes staring at the sky blankly. Her hair was in disarray and her tattered clothes billowed. It had been days since the homeless old woman wandered about to look for shelter. Her heart sank further as drops of water fell onto her face. How was Julie feeling? Can you guess? … Yes, she was feeling absolutely hopeless and sorrowful. How did the descriptions of the weather and atmosphere emphasise her sorrow and hopelessness? Did you spot the following effective descriptions?

a. Dark clouds – which signal impending doom
b. Julie standing alone in a vast field – this emphasises her lonely state and how she does not have any family or friends to support her
c. Drops of water falling on her face – this most likely refers to drops of rain but it can also suggest tears, ie her sorrow at being so alone and helpless

These descriptions of the weather which are used to reflect her mood and emotions are examples of sympathetic background! We, as readers, can empathise with Julie and imagine the sadness she was feeling because those phrases helped to draw parallels between the bleak surroundings and how Julie was feeling inside. In fact, I’m guessing that the phrases even aided you in picturing the place and what was happening while you were reading.

Let’s look at another example!

Max skipped along the path, his eyes twinkling. A light breeze brushed against him as he passed a field of daisies which swayed slightly as if they were greeting him. The sky was clear and cloudless while birds chirped melodiously. Max glanced at them perched on trees and beamed, thinking of the parrot he was going to receive from his father as a present. How eager he was to reach home!

Based on this passage, could you guess how Max was feeling? Yes! He was full of joy! Did you manage to spot how sympathetic background phrases were used to convey his joy?

a. The light breeze brushing against Max paints a soothing atmosphere
b. A field of daisies seemingly greeting him and birds chirping creates an optimistic mood
c. Clear and cloudless sky suggests a peaceful day without any troubles

Can you see how the setting in the second example is significantly different from the one in the first example? Instead of having dark clouds and rain to convey feelings of sorrow and hopelessness, this setting effectively reflects Max’s joyful mood.

Why sympathetic background is effective in writing

Try utilising the sympathetic background technique in your writing and see the difference it can make. In fact, the next time you read a book or watch a movie, be alert and take note of how often this technique is used. You might notice that when sad scenes are played in movies, the scene might be depicting rain as well! It is a very effective technique to make your writing more mature and sensitive. With this technique, you are no longer describing the setting or weather just for the sake of it but doing so in a way that conveys important information about your characters. Your readers will also be able to connect to your characters better because they are able to picture clearly how the characters are feeling.

Before I go, let me quickly share 2 tips on how you can employ this technique properly:

• Tip #1: Choose precise and vivid vocabulary to include in your description. This will help to emphasise or reinforce the mood you are trying to create. For instance, writing ‘the wind blew’ does not have the same effect as ‘the wind howled’ if you are trying to show a hostile environment!

• Tip #2: Appeal to the 5 senses as much as possible. Doing this will help to create the scene for the readers and allow them to be immersed in it, as they imagine what they can see, hear, smell, taste or touch. A word of caution though, you do not need to use all 5 senses at one go or you might overwhelm your readers! Using 2 to 3 senses for each description will suffice.

Give it a try the next time you write a story! Remember to check out our other posts on literary writing techniques which can help you become a more impressive writer. See you again next time!