To write a compelling piece of fiction is to put a whole world on the page. Although readers need to be acquainted with the characters, convincing worldbuilding encompasses numerous details, including the overall tone of the story, the nature of its morality, primary themes, landscape, and environment. Masterful appeal to the five senses of sound, sight, smell, touch, and taste can help immerse the readers into the world of the story. The use of sensory details in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven helps set the mood for the scenes and adds depth to the fictional worlds. Furthermore, the authors reveal the characters’ emotions, motivations, and choices through sensory details.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a monumental work that has cemented the vampire trope in literature. In the scene under consideration, the author relies primarily on the sense of sound and sight. As the protagonist, Jonathan Harker is driven to Dracula’s castle, he hears the wind, howling of dogs, and later wolfs. From the carriage, he witnesses powdery snow falling and flickering blue lights lighting the way. In this scene, he first sees the figure of his host, although he does not realize who that is. The use of sensory details helps set the stage and shows how Jonathan Harker is affected by the new surroundings. The virgin snowfall symbolizes the protagonist’s purity and naivety, while the howling of wolfs creates the sense of impending doom at the hands of a brutal animalistic force. Through these sensory details, the readers are immersed in the scene and better understand Jonathan Harker’s journey in the novel.
In the passage from Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, the author utilizes the sense of sight through the detailed description of the unnamed protagonist’s dream of the Manderley house, the residence she shared with her husband. The depiction of the estate is dedicated primarily to the nature that began to reign over the estate in the character’s dream. For instance, the path to the house, which was once wide and welcoming, is shown as overgrown with wild shrubs due to the lack of care. In addition, in the dream, the protagonist’s path to the residence is barred by the rusting gate. The employment of sensory details in the passage presents the readers with the description of the Manderley estate while showing the protagonist’s struggle with being forced to live in the constant presence of the past.
Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven is dedicated to the collapse of civilization following a flu pandemic. In the passage from the novel, sight and sound are the most utilized senses. The author shows nature taking over the world built by human activity through the former, with flowers and grass growing through the pavement and buildings. The latter is used primarily to contrast the silence of the new world with the sounds of nature that has thrived in it. Moreover, the sound is utilized to show the characters’ ticks, with Eleanor’s humming and grass braiding. Thus, through sight and sound, the author introduces the readers to the novel’s world and sets its overall mood.
In summary, the implementation of sensory details in works of literature is a common device used to immerse the readers into fictional worlds and add substantial depth to those worlds. Furthermore, by appealing to the basic human senses, writers can portray the emotions and motivations of the characters that can explain their choices throughout the story. Overall, sensory details are instrumental in creating the mood of the scene and the story as a whole.