---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mostly the natural landscapes work as a…"
description: "\"Mostly the natural landscapes work as a sounding board for my characters, so they can understand themselves, and it acts as a mirror in which we reader..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a0/bonnie-jo-campbell-9521_character_mostly-the-natural-landscapes-work-as-a_995083.jpg"
---

#  Mostly the natural landscapes work as a sounding board for…

![“Mostly the natural landscapes work as a sounding board for my characters, so they can understand themselves, and it acts as a mirror in which we readers see ourselves. The natural world is the place into which all my characters have to situate themselves in order to be who they really are, and…” quote by Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a0/bonnie-jo-campbell-9521_character_mostly-the-natural-landscapes-work-as-a_995083.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a0/bonnie-jo-campbell-9521_character_mostly-the-natural-landscapes-work-as-a_995083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a0/bonnie-jo-campbell-9521_character_mostly-the-natural-landscapes-work-as-a_995083.jpg)

> “Mostly the natural landscapes work as a sounding board for my characters, so they can understand themselves, and it acts as a mirror in which we readers see ourselves. The natural world is the place into which all my characters have to situate themselves in order to be who they really are, and that makes my rural fiction feel different from a lot of urban fiction.”

[Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Characters use nature as a reflective surface to discover identity, making rural stories distinct from urban ones.

**In simple terms:** Nature mirrors characters, revealing true selves.

Key Takeaway

Use setting to deepen character insight.

Themes

identity reflection setting rural vs urban literature

Mood

contemplative introspective

Type

literary reflective

When to use this quote

- writing workshops
- creative retreats
- literary analysis
- teaching creative writing

Key Concepts

environmental symbolism character development

Questions to Reflect On

- How does setting influence a character’s self‑knowledge?
- Can urban environments serve similar reflective purposes?

A Different Perspective

Nature may not always reflect inner truth; characters can misinterpret surroundings.

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[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Fiction Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-feel-239323/) [Landscapes Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscapes-work-2063336/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural Landscapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-landscapes-2063334/) [Natural world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-world/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Rural Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rural-fiction-2063335/) [Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urban/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

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