Foster (19,20) -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)
“Geography is setting, but it's also (or can be) psychology, attitude, finance, industry--anything that place can forge in the people who live there."
I have never, in all of my reading days, thought about geography as such a big deal in novels. Sure I can't picture Harry Potter being in Florida but I never have thought of it as psychology, attitude, finance, industry that makes the people want to live there and can affect the characters. After reading all the examples I thought a lot about it and am surprised I overlooked this element in novels for so long. What a clever technique, people moving and changing for the better because of the geography.
And after reading this I can think of examples that fit it perfectly. For example The Secret Life of Bees. In which the main character, Lily, moves away from home to search for answers about her mother and in turn learns a lot about her. All because of the geography changing. Wow it all makes sense!!! I can't believe I never thought of this before!
Comments (2)
Bethany, I totally agree with you!! Never in a million years did I think geography have such an important role in literature. And then after reading chapter 19, it was like, "well duh!!!, geography has everything to do with literature." And like you, I can now go back to all of the previous literature I've read, and make the connections as to where geography played key roles in the plot to the story.
Posted by Margaret Jones | January 28, 2007 5:17 PM
Posted on January 28, 2007 17:17
I as well never thought about how much geography plays a part in literature. I will definately notice the geography in a peice of literature from now on and will think of what the work would have been like if it were set in a different place.
Posted by MacKenzie Harbison | January 28, 2007 11:53 PM
Posted on January 28, 2007 23:53