In an excerpt from a contemporary novel, the author describes an abandoned industrial complex that was once bustling with workers. The crumbling buildings loomed under a gray sky, their rusted metal frames casting eerie shadows across the empty lot. Weeds pushed through cracks in the pavement, and the distant sound of the wind whistled through broken windows, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

How does the setting of this abandoned industrial complex contribute to the overall themes of the novel?