Oh, The Places You'll Go...How Geography Shapes a Story

I had always considered geography as merely the setting in which the important aspects of a story take place. However, geography can in fact be the main focus and symbol of a story. Traveling to a new place signals a fresh new start. Foster’s example of Barbara Kingsolver’s “The Bean Trees” demonstrates how a character can change after moving from a closed to an open environment.

As readers, we must consider the affects of geography on a characters personality. For example, in the “Bell Jar” geography plays an important role in describing Esther’s insanity. The novel begins in New York City, which is often associated with endless opportunities and dreams. Ironically, this is where Esther begins to feel trapped inside her “bell jar” of feelings. Her need for security and closure is reflected in the secrecy of her chosen hiding place for attempted suicide.

Writers dictate our understanding of the geography in a story. If a writer describes a lively beach as depressing, then we as the reader are forced to see it as such. Geography is more than just a setting; it can sometimes be an explanation of a character’s entire personality.  Readers may consider themselves as just a consumer of the finished story, but we are actually a collaborator in the process of text creation. Therefore, we are an active voice in determining the meaning of a text. A writer must be aware of how they describe a fictional place in order to properly assert it into the readers’ mind. The geography of a story must be explained thoroughly so that the reader may understand its correlation with a character’s actions.

An example of how geography defines a character can be found in “The Great Gatsby”. The main characters Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy all live in the luxurious and upscale areas of New York. The fanciful setting in which they live definitely determines their arrogant and haughty behaviors. These behaviors would not be as common for a character living on a small farm in the South. The reader can already make inferences about characters before they are even introduced based on the geography of their living environment.

Geography is also tremendously important in the entertainment industry. Directors spend millions every year to build perfect sets or film in exotic locations in order to enhance a story and make it real for the audience. Every detail is important, especially when recreating a literary work on screen. The recent version of “The Great Gatsby” was far more effective in communicating the meaning of the story than the 1974 film. The 2013 film had a much more vibrant and outstanding set and engaged the interest of many viewers while also working to shape the characters.

In Jane Austen’s famous novel “Pride and Prejudice”, the story is set on a secluded island, allowing the social interactions of it’s inhabitants to be uninterrupted by the outside world. This explains why the class system is based on the importance of wealth in marriage rather than love. Geographical choices shape a story and are an important aspect in determining the outcome.

The Intimacy of Meals

            Chapter two discusses the importance of meals in literature, shedding a new light on the reasoning behind an author’s choice to include meal scenes in their writing. Before reading about these acts of communion, I had never given much thought to the inherit meaning of a meal within the context of a story. However, I now see that there is a great deal of importance and sensitivity with accepting a dinner invitation. Meals are a demonstration of the interactions between characters. The social nature and atmosphere of a meal can act as a premonition to future events in the story, or a reflection of events that have already taken place. For example, if two characters share a dark secret that in unknown to the rest of those at the meal, they may behave in a more nervous and suspicious manner.

            In Edith Wharton’s novel “Ethan Frome”, the protagonist Ethan has married a woman out of compassion and sympathy. He is, in fact, truly in love with their housekeeper Mattie. When Ethan’s wife leaves for medical purposes, he is left alone with Mattie for a night. Their meal that night is a very emotional experience that is laced with symbolisms of their feelings for one another. During their dinner alone, the household cat breaks a pickle dish, which happens to be the favorite wedding gift of Ethan’s wife. This is a symbol of the way that Mattie may break up Ethan’s marriage.

            Meals have a certain romantic nature attached to them. It is common for a meal scene to occur in a romance novel, especially on a first date. Accepting a meal invitation with another individual signifies a deep liking for said individual. Although we may not realize it, we take our eating habits very seriously and only choose to share those habits with a select few. Observing two people engaged in a meal can offer a lot of insight regarding their feelings for one another. Quite frequently in romance novels, authors depict scenes of couples dressed in fanciful outfits, sipping from wine glasses, and smiling together as they tell hearty jokes. This act of communion gives the reader a positive outlook on the future of a relationship, due to the upbeat nature of the meal.

            Food and meals can also act as a means for displaying wealth. For example, in Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”, the Cratchit’s Christmas dinner is an unusual treat for the underprivileged family. The Cratchit’s choice to spend their hard earned money on food for an extravagant Christmas feast displays the intimacy shared during meals. Such a meal provided an escape for the Cratchit’s from everyday struggles and finances. The same could be said for lunch breaks and family dinners after a long day of work. A meal is regarded as a time of freedom from responsibilities with no expectations except for enjoyment of the food. Although a meal scene can appear simple within the context of a story, there is always a deeper meaning associated with such an important act of communion.

Violence...Is it more than just entertainment?

 

Foster's discussion of violence in chapter eleven is similar to his discussion of meals in chapter two. He emphasizes the fact that both events occur in literature for a given purpose. Violence is an intimate act between humans, as is sharing a meal with someone.

Previously, I had not considered violence to be a symbolic aspect of a story, but rather just a way for author’s to entertain and interest their readers. Violence is used to ignite certain feelings within readers, whether it’s sympathy for an innocent character, or relief for an evil character’s death. As I have seen in many movies, violence is also used to assert the agility and strength of a certain character.

On the surface, violence can seem unimportant, even accidental, but one must look deeper to truly understand the lessons an author is trying to teach us. In a well-known story called “The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas”, the death of the protagonist symbolizes the unreasonable cruelty of the Holocaust. Set during World War II, a German boy becomes friends with a Jew, and their friendship results in the death of both characters. The boy’s father, a radical Nazi, discovers his son has faced the same fate as the Jews he is mercilessly killing. This discovery causes him to see their killings with a fresh pair of eyes.

The popularity of violence is a continued debate especially with the recent controversies over gun control. The main question is: does violence in entertainment, literature, and video games make people more violent in the real world? The answer remains ambiguous, but one thing is clear: violence sells. Currently, the most popular video game franchise is “Call of Duty”, where killing is the main goal.  The adrenaline rush and power that is felt from violence is definitely a contributing factor to its popularity. I suppose it’s the feeling of power that attracts people to violent video games, a power that cannot be felt in the real world without serious consequences.

If people saw the true meaning of violence in literature, it would not be viewed as a negative affect on humanity. Most people who lack a trained literary mind see it as fascinating entertainment without a real purpose. To truly understand violence in a literary sense, we must consider violent acts as beyond the physical. Violence in literature functions at different levels, is perpetuated by different motivations, and is experienced in a variety of ways.

Violence is even portrayed in fairy tales. The first editions of stories such as “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Sleeping Beauty “ were originally targeted at a more mature audience. The stories described scenes of murder in detail, but were altered to appeal to a younger audience. The originally violent nature of children’s fairy tales is shocking to me. The modern day versions of these stories seem so innocent. The affects of violence in entertainment and literature are continually debated. Violence is a symbolic and important part of literature, but should be used in moderation. However, one cannot argue against the common need for violence in order to enhance a story.