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.