Narrating Space/Spatializing Narrative: Where Narrative Theory and Geography Meet

266 Pages·2016·19.232 MB·English

by  Marie-Laure Ryan, Kenneth Foote, Maoz Azaryahu

Bridges can be crossed in two Second, not all texts are narrative, Although narratology and
directions. Moving from geog- nor is narrative synonymous geography can gain from cross
raphy into narratology means with discourse. Narratology fertilization, these caveats suggest
continuing along what Fredric is concerned with one type of some of the obstacles to closer
Jameson (1991) and others have discourse, but does not necessar- contact. While acknowledg-
called the “spatial turn” of late ily encompass all the work being ing the differing perspectives
twentieth century culture. The done in geography that questions and interests of narratology
spatial turn is the recognition of the discursive foundations of and geography, our aim is to
the material dimensions of soci- its theory, method and practice showcase the complementarity
ety and culture and, in particular, (Barnes and Duncan 1992; Dun- of their concerns in ways that
of the importance of space and can and Ley 1993). We mention allow geographers to learn from
place in theory and method. this issue because, at the moment, the narratological approach, and
Moving in the other direction the concept of narrative is applied narratologists to benefit from the
from narratology to geography somewhat loosely in geography. geographic approach. The expan-
we extend the “narrative turn” Terms like “narrative” and “sto- sion of narrative theory into
NARRATING SPACE /
that began in the 1980s and has rytelling” are used increasingly, multiple domains has created an
grown to encompass the manifes- but inconsistently. Sometimes the urgent need for cross-disciplinary
SPtationsA of narTrative iIn maAny dis-LIterZm “narIrativNe” is subsGtituted NcAollaboraRtion whRich brinAgs TIVE
ciplines and life situations and in for “theory” to emphasize the together narratologists (who
WHERmany Edifferen t coNmmunicAational RtRentativeA, situatTed andI conVtingent Et endT to comHe fromE literatuOre and RY
media. The result has been the nature of explanations in post- the humanities) and specialists
extension of narrative theory into structuralist theory (Price 2010). of other disciplines. The stakes
AND GEOGRAPHY MEET
fields as varied as the law, medi- In other areas of geography that in such a collaboration are high:
cine, historiography, education, employ ethnographic methods, it gives narratology a chance to
the natural sciences, and music. the term “narrative” is a substi- expand its scope to narrative
MARIECh-aLpteArs 2U, 3,R 4 aEnd 5R addYreAss thNe , KEtuteN of N“oraEl hiTstoHry” oFr “OautOobiT- E, AfoNrmsD no tM founAd iOn liZtera tAureZ ARYAHU
first part of our title by focusing ography” (Cameron 2012). These (stories told through toponyms,
on topics which we see as central uses do not necessarily imply the at historical and heritage sites, or
to developing the spatial turn in incorrect applications of concepts through museum display); and
narrative theory--what we view drawn from narratology, but conversely, it gives a chance to
as a more encompassing analysis narrative theory has more to offer non-literary disciplines to gain
of the role of space in narrative. geographers than these ideas new perspectives by selectively
Chapters 6, 7 and 8 address the along. It offers a range of analyti- borrowing concepts from the
second part by focusing on how cal tools that can aid geographers extensive tool-box of literary
some narratives use space as a in analyzing stories and text narratology.
medium through the disposition across many media in new and Points of Contact between Geog-
of their inscription in physical inventive ways. raphy and Narratology
objects and locations. Given Third, not all discourse about the By tracing an arc from nar-
these concerns, three caveats are role or the theme of space in nar- ratology to geography and
in order. rative represents a convergence back, our aim is to build a more
First, not all work that deals with of geography and narratology. encompassing theory of space,
aspects of space in a narrative Many geographers see their disci- place, geography and narrative,
text can be considered nar- pline as offering some of the most one in which space and narrative
ratological. As a theoretical and advanced concepts and theories intersect not at a single point,
descriptive project, narratology for addressing the spatial dynam- but rather converge around four
is not the interpretation of indi- ics of natural, social, economic, somewhat interrelated issues:
vidual works but the exploration cultural and political phenomena Although narratology and
of regularities found in multiple and processes, but geography has geography can gain from cross
narrative texts. It is only when it no monopoly on the concept of fertilization, these caveats suggest
develops concepts both original space. Disciplines across the arts, some of the obstacles to closer
and generalizable that a study of, humanities, and the natural and contact. While acknowledg-
say, Proustian or Joycean space social sciences such as philoso- ing the differing perspectives
or cartographic narrative can be phy, mathematics, physics, archi- and interests of narratology
considered a genuine contribu- tecture and the visual arts also and geography, our aim is to
tion to narratology. Our efforts deal with space in a variety of showcase the complementarity
THEORY AND INTERPRETATION OF NARRATIVE
James Phelan, Peter J. Rabinowitz, and Robyn Warhol, Series Editors

NARRATING SPACE /
SPATIALIZING NARRATIVE
WHERE NARRATIVE THEORY
AND GEOGRAPHY MEET
MARIE-LAURE RYAN, KENNETH FOOTE, AND MAOZ AZARYAHU
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS / COLUMBUS
Copyright © 2016 by The Ohio State University.
All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ryan, Marie-Laure, 1946– author. | Foote, Kenneth E., 1955– author. | Azaryahu, Maoz,
author.
Title: Narrating space/spatializing narrative : where narrative theory and geography meet /
Marie-Laure Ryan, Kenneth Foote, and Maoz Azaryahu.
Other titles: Theory and interpretation of narrative series.
Description: Columbus : The Ohio State University Press, [2016] | “2016” | Series: Theory and
interpretation of narrative | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015038944 | ISBN 9780814212998 (cloth : alk. paper) | ISBN 0814212999
(cloth : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Space perception in literature. | Geography in literature. | Narration (Rhetoric)
Classification: LCC PN56.S667 R93 2016 | DDC 808/.036—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015038944
Cover design by Martyn Schmoll
Text design by Juliet Williams
Type set in Minion Pro
Printed by Thomson-Shore, Inc.
C O N T E N T S
List of Illustrations vii
Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview 1
Chapter 2 Narrative Theory and Space 16
Chapter 3 Maps and Narrative 44
Chapter 4 From Cognitive to Graphic Maps 75
Chapter 5 Space, Narrative, and Digital Media 101
Chapter 6 Street Names as Story and History 138
Chapter 7 Landscape Narratives 160
Chapter 8 Museum Narratives 181
Chapter 9 Into the Future 207
References 227
Index 247

I L LU S T R AT I O N S
Figures
3.1 A map of spatial form: Franco Moretti’s analysis of character
relations in Flaubert’s L’Education sentimentale 49
3.2 Maps from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels 51
3.3 Map from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island 56
3.4 Spontaneous reader’s map: Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s
The Great Gatsby 63
3.5 Vladimir Nabokov’s map for Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis 65
3.6 Page from River Guide to the Grand Canyon 68
3.7 Charles Joseph Minard’s map of Napoleon’s Russian
campaign of 1812 70
3.8 Mattias Quad, Geneva Urbs 72
3.9 Redrawing the map of Europe 74
4.1 Master map of Chronicle of a Death Foretold 80
4.2 Itinerary map: Pure plan 90
4.3 Symbolic map: Iconic plan 91
4.4 Storyspace map: Mixed picture-plan 92
4.5 Predominantly pictorial representation 93
5.1 Ms. PacMan: Abstract playfield 106
5.2 World of Warcraft: Playfield as world 107
5.3 Zanzarah: Design document from Funatics 108
5.4 Map of World of Warcraft 113
5.5 Memory Maps: Carnock, Scotland, annotated by Diarmid Mogg 116
5.6 Telling stories through Google maps: The 21 Steps,
by Charles Cummins 118
5.7 Itineraries from Les Trucs, by Microtrucs 122
5.8 [murmur] online archive 130
vii
viii ∙ ILLUSTRATIONS
6.1 Story St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 142
6.2 Street signs in Berlin and Paris 146
6.3 Street names in central Tel Aviv 147
6.4 A corner where two philosophers meet, Berlin 149
6.5 Renaming a street after David Ben-Gurion, Ramat Gan,
Israel, 1986 151
6.6 Belle-Alliance Apotheke, Mehringdamm, Berlin-Kreuzberg 152
6.7 Leninova: A nameplate on display in the Museum
of Communism, Prague, Czech Republic 158
7.1 Common strategies for using signs and inscriptions
to present stories 162
7.2 Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana 168
7.3 The two- and three-hour automobile tour routes
of the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, battlefield 172
7.4 The Mormon Trail across Iowa 174
7.5 The intersection of several thematic narratives
on Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts 175
7.6 Tours of the Buchenwald concentration camp near
Weimar, Germany 176
8.1 Tourist guide to the Israel Defense Forces History Museum,
Tel Aviv 188
8.2 Design sketch of the Palmach Museum, Tel Aviv 190
8.3 Plan of the Jewish Museum, Berlin 192
8.4 “Crossroads of Czech and Czechoslovak Statehood” exhibition
at the National Memorial on Vítkov Hill, Prague 195
8.5 Holocaust History Museum at Yad Vashem 201
8.6 Street name in Lidice bearing the date of the massacre:
June 10, 1942 206
Tables
4.1 The most often mentioned items on the maps 86
4.2 Representation of spatial relations 88
4.3 Map styles 90
C HA P T E R 1
Introduction and Overview
THIS BOOK FOCUSES on the intersections of space and narrative. Interest
in this topic has grown rapidly as narratology has expanded from literary
forms and oral discourse, to a broader concern for storytelling across many
domains of human action and experience, as well as across many types of
media. Space has traditionally been viewed as a backdrop to plot, if only
because narrative, by definition, is a temporal art involving the sequencing of
events. Against this traditional conception, this book advances the argument
that space serves other narrative roles: it can be a focus of attention, a bearer
of symbolic meaning, an object of emotional investment, a means of strate-
gic planning, a principle of organization, and even a supporting medium.
The two parts of our title—narrating space and spatializing narrative—sug-
gest that space can intersect with narrative in two principal ways. On one
hand, it can be an object of representation, on the other, it can function as
the environment in which narrative is physically deployed, or, to put it dif-
ferently, as the medium in which narrative is realized. While narratologists
are best equipped to deal with the first of these issues, geographers can make
significant contributions to narratology by drawing attention to the second.
By bringing these two issues together, and thereby building a bridge between
narratology and geography, this book should yield both a deepened under-
standing of human spatial experience and a greater insight into narrative
theory and forms.
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