From the course: The Foundations of Fiction

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Mood, atmosphere, and emotion (advanced)

Mood, atmosphere, and emotion (advanced)

From the course: The Foundations of Fiction

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Mood, atmosphere, and emotion (advanced)

“

(soft instrumental music) - So, Jess, do you want to hear the opening of my new story? - Oh yeah! - Here goes. It was a dark and stormy night. - (laughs) I think that might have been used before. - I know, I know. But do you remember those old Peanuts cartoons when Snoopy would start all his stories with a dark and stormy night? - I do, and I think the line originated from a novel in the 1800s. - Yes, apparently it's the opening sentence of a book called Paul Clifford. And it has always been mocked as an example of over the top and melodramatic writing. - So, probably not something we want to start our stories and books with, right? - Probably not. But one thing the line does well is point to how setting can be used to evoke a certain mood and atmosphere. - A scene that is set amid a dark and stormy night is probably not going to be a very happy and cheery scene. - Yes, it's much more likely to be a sinister and foreboding scene that unfolds after a line like that one. - Right, and if…

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