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This sentence sounds funny to me. The part that is bothering me is where it states "thus providing." Is this a correct use of "thus providing"?
The reader obtains a better “feel” for the way Dillard interprets the natural world, thus providing background and a foundation for the rest of the novel.
I assume, unlike the commenters, that you have no doubt that "thus [verb]ing" is grammatically correct, but are concerned that "providing" does not make sense, that is, "providing" is not used properly, from a semantic standpoint.
On this, I agree with you whole-heartedly.
How can obtain[ing] thus provide anything? Answer: it can't.
To whom is the reader providing a background? Answer: To nobody. He is obtaining that as well (but in WA2's rendering, apparently the reader is providing background to himself)
As commenters have shown, the only way to make sense of this is to add or change words, or to imagine "missing" words.
I believe you can salvage the provide verb, but it needs to have as a subject a better "feel" rather than the reader.
To do this, simply add "which" amd change "providing" to "provides:
No it isn't.
As written, 'thus providing' belongs with the subject of the sentence ie the reader.
As I understand it, background and a foundation for the rest of the novel comes from Dillard's interpretation of the natural world.
The reader obtains a better “feel” for the way Dillard interprets the natural world, and how it provides background and a foundation for the rest of the novel.
