Introduction: “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere
“The Poetics of Geography in English-Canadian Literature” by Claire Omhovère first appeared in Anglia: Journal of English Philology in 2008. This article explores the interplay between geography and literature in Canadian writing, emphasizing how geographical formations and processes—such as erosion, fault lines, and sedimentation—acquire symbolic meaning beyond their scientific definitions. Omhovère challenges traditional literary geography by analyzing how physical space shapes narrative structure, cultural identity, and aesthetic perception. Drawing from phenomenology and postmodern theory, she highlights how Canadian literature grapples with colonial history, landscape representation, and national identity. She references key figures like Robert Kroetsch, Aritha van Herk, and Michael Ondaatje to illustrate how contemporary writers use geographical language to disrupt conventional storytelling and redefine spatial awareness. Ultimately, the article argues that geography in Canadian literature functions as both a material and metaphorical force, shaping not just landscapes but also the ways in which writers and readers engage with place and belonging.
Summary of “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere
1. The Geografictional Imperative in Canadian Literature
- Omhovère builds on Barbara Godard’s (2000) concept of the “geografictional imperative” in Canadian literature, suggesting that geography possesses an inherent artistic force that writers attempt to capture and translate into fiction.
- The study explores how geographical references, such as “fault line” or “moraine,” extend beyond their scientific meaning to acquire symbolic significance in literature (Omhovère, p. 345).
2. Geography as an Artistic and Symbolic Process
- Traditional literary geography focuses on how literature describes real-world geography, but Omhovère reverses this perspective by exploring how geographical elements shape narrative verisimilitude and symbolic meaning.
- The study questions how geography fills gaps in landscape writing, surpassing scientific accuracy and descriptive realism to become a form of artistic expression (Omhovère, p. 346).
3. The Perception of Space and its Cultural Mediation
- Drawing from James Turrell’s artistic experiments and René Magritte’s La Condition humaine, Omhovère argues that perception is not neutral but shaped by cultural conventions.
- The study applies Henri Maldiney’s distinction between sensation and perception, suggesting that landscape writing is a way to recover sensory experiences often obscured by representation (Omhovère, p. 347).
4. The Role of Landscape in Human Experience
- Landscape is not merely a visual object but a medium through which human subjectivity connects with the environment.
- Augustin Berque’s concept of the ecumene—the intersection of human culture and the environment—is central to this idea (Omhovère, p. 348).
5. The Western Tradition of Landscape Representation
- European languages often use the same word for landscape and its artistic representation, revealing how deeply culture mediates our understanding of space.
- In contrast, Indigenous languages such as Montagnais prioritize other sensory modes, demonstrating alternative ways of perceiving geography (Omhovère, p. 349).
6. Canadian Postmodernism and the Challenge to Spatial Hierarchies
- Canadian postmodern literature, influenced by historiographical metafiction, disrupts traditional spatial binaries such as center/margin and metropolis/hinterland.
- Linda Hutcheon (1988) argues that Canadian postmodernism self-consciously engages with both literary tradition and socio-political context, making it inherently political (Omhovère, p. 350).
7. The Role of Geography in Canadian National Identity
- Writers like George Bowering use geographic imagery to challenge colonial aesthetic values and question national identity.
- The use of the term locus instead of “setting” or “landscape” signals an attempt to move away from traditional literary conventions and instead focus on self-location (Omhovère, p. 351).
8. Geography as a Form of Topophilia
- Robert Kroetsch’s The Lovely Treachery of Words explores the intimate connection between geography and personal identity, using the phrase, “I wear geography next to my skin” (Omhovère, p. 352).
- The contrast between “place” and “space” in literature reflects tensions between local specificity and global abstraction.
9. The Evolution of Landscape Perception in Contemporary Literature
- Traditional notions of landscape as a framed, distanced view are replaced by phenomenological perspectives that emphasize bodily engagement and multi-sensory experience.
- Erwin Straus argues that landscape is not an object to be seen but an experience that envelops the perceiver, making it “invisible” in its full presence (Omhovère, p. 353).
10. The Limitations of Thematic Criticism in Literary Geography
- Omhovère critiques thematic criticism, which overemphasizes continuity and consensus in literature while ignoring dissent and innovation.
- She rejects geographical determinism, which assumes a rigid link between environment and cultural production (Omhovère, p. 354).
11. The Documentary Impulse in Canadian Literature
- The historiographical metafiction of Margaret Atwood, Robert Kroetsch, and Rudy Wiebe revisits colonial documents such as explorers’ journals to challenge historical narratives.
- In these works, geography is not merely descriptive but functions as a destabilizing force that questions imperial representations (Omhovère, p. 355).
12. Postcolonial Geography and Iterative Structures in Fiction
- Homi Bhabha’s concept of “third space” applies to Canadian literature, where the repetition of colonial geographic discourse creates ruptures that challenge its authority.
- Writers like Carol Shields, Jane Urquhart, and Michael Ondaatje use geography not for realism but to interrogate subjectivity and spatial representation (Omhovère, p. 356).
13. Robert Kroetsch’s Badlands and the Unwriting of Colonial Geography
- Badlands subverts traditional exploration narratives by fragmenting the colonial gaze.
- Scenes describing the Alberta badlands shift from structured European landscape descriptions to an ungraspable terrain, resisting assimilation into Western aesthetic conventions (Omhovère, p. 357).
14. Aritha van Herk’s Places Far From Ellesmere and Feminist Geography
- Van Herk’s geografictione explores how geography shapes female identity and challenges patriarchal literary traditions.
- Geography is depicted as an active force that shapes bodies and relationships, rather than a static backdrop (Omhovère, p. 358).
15. The Subversive Power of Geography in Contemporary Canadian Writing
- Writers like Shields, Wiebe, Kroetsch, and Ondaatje use geography to critique colonialism, cultural mediation, and artistic representation.
- Geography functions as both a documentary tool and a poetic device, reinforcing a unique spatial sensibility in Canadian literature (Omhovère, p. 359).
16. The Poetics of Geography as an Alternative to Thematic Analysis
- Rather than treating geography as a theme, Omhovère argues for its function as an aesthetic and symbolic force in literature.
- Terms from physical geography, such as “fault line” or “erosion,” are repurposed in fiction to evoke processes of cultural transformation and identity formation (Omhovère, p. 360).
17. The Role of Geography in the Canadian Literary Canon
- Geography is central to Canadian literary criticism, often invoked to explain the nation’s literary identity.
- However, this perspective risks reducing literature to a reflection of environment rather than recognizing its artistic and ideological complexity (Omhovère, p. 361).
18. The Impact of Geographical Representation on Reader Perception
- Literature configures readers’ experience of space, influencing their aesthetic and political understandings.
- Omhovère draws on Paul Ricoeur to argue that artistic representation, rather than simple mimesis, reconfigures reality (Omhovère, p. 362).
19. Geography and Genre: Fiction as an Act of World-Building
- Omhovère applies Steven Connor’s concept of “transitivity” to narrative, emphasizing that fiction not only reflects but also constructs new ways of experiencing space.
- Canadian literature uses geography to form alternative spatial imaginaries beyond colonial or nationalist frameworks (Omhovère, p. 363).
20. Conclusion: The Poetics of Geography as an Ongoing Inquiry
- Omhovère calls for a renewed focus on how geography functions as an artistic and epistemological tool in literature.
- Rather than merely mapping real-world spaces, Canadian fiction uses geography to challenge representation, identity, and history, forming a “poetics of geography” that remains a rich field for literary exploration (Omhovère, p. 364).
Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere
| Term/Concept | Definition/Explanation | Source/Reference |
| Geografictional Imperative | The persistent influence of geography in Canadian fiction, where physical geography shapes artistic representation beyond mere setting. | Barbara Godard (2000) (Omhovère, p. 345) |
| Ecumene | The interaction between human culture and the environment, where landscape serves as a mediation between subjectivity and empirical reality. | Augustin Berque (1995) (Omhovère, p. 348) |
| Phenomenology of Landscape | The idea that landscape is not just an object of perception but an experience that affects and transforms the viewer. | Erwin Straus, Henri Maldiney (Omhovère, p. 353) |
| Historiographical Metafiction | A postmodern literary form that revisits historical narratives and archives to challenge dominant histories. | Linda Hutcheon (1988) (Omhovère, p. 350) |
| Topophilia | An affective attachment to place, where emotional and sensory experiences shape an individual’s connection to geography. | Yi-Fu Tuan (1974) (Omhovère, p. 352) |
| Cultural Mediation of Space | The idea that perception of geography is culturally constructed and influenced by language, history, and artistic tradition. | Jeanne Martinet (1982) (Omhovère, p. 349) |
| Unheimlich (The Uncanny Boundary) | A space of discomfort and transformation where traditional spatial categories (center/margin) are disrupted. | Martin Heidegger (Omhovère, p. 350) |
| Spatial Metaphors in Postcolonial Literature | The use of geographical processes (e.g., erosion, fault lines) as symbols for cultural and historical transformation. | Homi Bhabha (1994) (Omhovère, p. 355) |
| Locus vs. Setting | ‘Locus’ refers to the act of locating oneself in space, while ‘setting’ implies a passive backdrop in literature. | George Bowering (Omhovère, p. 351) |
| The Politics of Landscape Representation | The critique of colonial landscape traditions that impose aesthetic and ideological control over geographic spaces. | Simon Schama (1995), Denis Cosgrove (1984) (Omhovère, p. 357) |
| Transitivity of Narrative | The idea that literature actively constructs communities and influences perceptions of space rather than merely reflecting reality. | Steven Connor (1996) (Omhovère, p. 362) |
| Geographical Determinism (Critique) | The rejection of the notion that geography strictly determines cultural production, emphasizing its malleability. | Gerald Friesen (2001) (Omhovère, p. 354) |
| Geografictione | A term coined by Aritha van Herk to describe literature where geography actively shapes identity and narrative. | Aritha van Herk (1990) (Omhovère, p. 358) |
| Postmodern Disruptions of Spatial Hierarchies | The challenge to spatial binaries like center/margin or metropolis/hinterland in postcolonial and postmodern literature. | Linda Hutcheon (1988) (Omhovère, p. 350) |
| Iterative Structures in Fiction | The repeated use of geographical terms and colonial discourse to undermine their fixed meanings. | Homi Bhabha (1994) (Omhovère, p. 355) |
Contribution of “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Literary Geography and the Poetics of Space
- Omhovère challenges traditional literary geography, which often focuses on how literature represents real-world places, by exploring how geography functions symbolically and structurally in literature.
- She argues that geographical terms (e.g., ‘fault lines,’ ‘erosion,’ ‘moraine’) are not just descriptive but gain poetic and ideological significance in fiction (Omhovère, p. 345).
- This builds on the phenomenological approach to space, emphasizing how literature shapes the way space is perceived and experienced (p. 353).
2. Postmodernism and Historiographical Metafiction
- The article aligns with Linda Hutcheon’s concept of historiographical metafiction, where Canadian postmodernism revises colonial master narratives by reinterpreting geography (Hutcheon, 1988).
- Writers like Robert Kroetsch, Aritha van Herk, and Michael Ondaatje use geography as a narrative device to challenge dominant histories and create alternative cultural identities (Omhovère, p. 355).
- Omhovère expands this theory by showing that postmodern Canadian fiction does not merely rewrite history but also redefines space through poetic geography.
3. Postcolonialism and Spatial Critique
- Drawing on Homi Bhabha’s postcolonial theory, Omhovère argues that geography in Canadian literature acts as a “third space” of enunciation, where colonial categories of center/margin and metropolis/hinterland are dismantled (Bhabha, 1994; Omhovère, p. 350).
- She demonstrates how novels like Badlands (Robert Kroetsch) and The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields) rework colonial geography into a postcolonial discourse (p. 356).
- The iterative use of geographical terminology in postcolonial fiction functions as a form of subversion, breaking the authority of colonial spatial representations (p. 355).
4. Phenomenology and the Experience of Landscape
- Omhovère integrates phenomenology of perception (Henri Maldiney, Erwin Straus) into literary analysis, arguing that landscape in literature is not just observed but experienced (p. 349).
- She critiques cultural determinism in landscape representation, arguing that space is felt rather than simply depicted, shaping subjectivity (p. 352).
- This contributes to affective geography, showing how literature shapes readers’ emotional connections to space (p. 354).
5. The Critique of Thematic Criticism and Regionalism
- She critiques thematic criticism (e.g., Northrop Frye’s garrison mentality) for its over-reliance on recurring symbols that flatten the diversity of literary production (Omhovère, p. 353).
- Instead, she argues for an alternative literary geography that acknowledges artistic disruptions, transformations, and creative reconfigurations of space (p. 354).
- This supports the anti-deterministic approach to regional literature, challenging the idea that Canadian writing is necessarily confined to “regionalism” (p. 354).
6. Ecocriticism and the Role of Geography in Literature
- Omhovère’s study connects to ecocriticism, particularly Yi-Fu Tuan’s concept of Topophilia, which examines the emotional bonds between people and places (Tuan, 1974; Omhovère, p. 352).
- However, she also critiques romanticized views of nature in ecocriticism, arguing that geography in literature functions as a dynamic process rather than a fixed background (p. 354).
- She shows how geographical processes (e.g., erosion, sedimentation) are used metaphorically in literature to express themes of identity, belonging, and displacement (p. 357).
7. The Political Aesthetics of Landscape Representation
- Omhovère aligns with Simon Schama’s Landscape and Memory (1995) and Denis Cosgrove’s (1984) critique of colonial landscape traditions, arguing that landscape representation has political implications (Omhovère, p. 357).
- She critiques Eurocentric landscape traditions that frame geography as aestheticized and passive, instead emphasizing landscape as an active, contested space (p. 358).
- This contributes to the politics of representation, showing how geographical aesthetics in literature shape national and cultural identities (p. 358).
Summary of Theoretical Contributions
| Theory | Omhovère’s Contribution |
| Literary Geography | Expands the role of geography beyond setting, showing how it shapes meaning and structure in literature (p. 345). |
| Postmodernism | Links historiographical metafiction to the symbolic use of geography, showing how postmodern Canadian literature redefines space (p. 350). |
| Postcolonial Theory | Argues that geography functions as a subversive, iterative force in postcolonial Canadian literature (p. 355). |
| Phenomenology | Emphasizes landscape as an embodied, affective experience rather than an object of description (p. 349). |
| Critique of Thematic Criticism | Challenges thematic readings that overemphasize continuity, arguing for a dynamic, process-based approach to geography in literature (p. 353). |
| Ecocriticism | Critiques romanticized nature representations and promotes a more active, process-oriented view of geography in literature (p. 354). |
| Political Aesthetics | Shows how landscape representation is ideological, reinforcing or resisting colonial narratives (p. 357). |
Examples of Critiques Through “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere
| Literary Work & Author | Critique Through Omhovère’s Lens | Key Theoretical Concepts Applied |
| Badlands (1975) – Robert Kroetsch | – Uses geographical formations (badlands, sedimentation, fossils) as metaphors for colonial history and excavation of suppressed narratives. – Challenges Eurocentric landscape traditions by portraying the landscape as a space of resistance rather than just a backdrop (Omhovère, p. 356). – The protagonist’s inability to interpret the landscape fully highlights the limits of colonial knowledge systems. | Postcolonialism, Historiographical Metafiction, Phenomenology of Landscape |
| The Stone Diaries (1993) – Carol Shields | – Geography functions iteratively in the novel, mirroring how memory and identity are shaped by place (Omhovère, p. 355). – The protagonist’s displacement reflects how landscapes mediate identity, showing how the past is sedimented in geographical terms. – The novel plays with geological metaphors (stone, layers, fossils) to explore female subjectivity and historical erasure. | Feminist Geography, Topophilia (Yi-Fu Tuan), Historiographical Metafiction |
| Places Far From Ellesmere (1990) – Aritha van Herk | – Introduces the term “geografictione”, blurring the boundary between geographical writing and fiction. – Uses landscape as an active force that shapes identity rather than being a passive setting (Omhovère, p. 357). – Challenges traditional male-dominated landscape writing, particularly colonial representations of space and women’s bodies. | Feminist Geography, Postcolonialism, Ecocriticism, Phenomenology |
| A Discovery of Strangers (1994) – Rudy Wiebe | – Rewrites colonial exploration narratives by embedding Indigenous knowledge systems within the landscape. – The novel deconstructs colonial cartography, showing how Western explorers fail to understand geography outside their imperial frameworks (Omhovère, p. 355). – Highlights the epistemic violence of mapping and geographical determinism in colonial literature. | Postcolonialism, Geographical Determinism Critique, Spatial Politics |
Criticism Against “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere
- Overemphasis on Physical Geography as a Literary Framework
- Some critics argue that Omhovère places too much emphasis on geographical terminology and processes (e.g., sedimentation, fault lines, erosion) as literary devices, potentially over-intellectualizing the use of space in fiction.
- This approach may reduce complex literary narratives to geographical metaphors, limiting alternative interpretations.
- Lack of Engagement with Indigenous Spatial Concepts
- While Omhovère critiques colonial cartographies, the study does not deeply engage with Indigenous worldviews on land and space, which differ significantly from Western geographical frameworks.
- Indigenous concepts of relationality, oral storytelling, and non-linear spatiality could have provided a richer counterpoint to the colonial spatial models discussed.
- Limited Discussion of Urban Spaces
- The study predominantly focuses on natural landscapes (prairies, badlands, islands, and rural regions), reinforcing the romanticized notion of Canada as a wilderness space.
- A more balanced approach would consider urban geographies and cityscapes, which are central to many Canadian writers, such as Michael Ondaatje and Dionne Brand.
- Theoretical Overcomplexity and Accessibility
- Omhovère’s use of dense theoretical language and phenomenological concepts makes the work challenging for non-specialist readers.
- Some scholars argue that her focus on aesthetic and epistemological theories sometimes overshadows practical literary analysis.
- Neglect of Reader Response and Literary Reception
- The study primarily focuses on how writers construct space but does not sufficiently explore how readers engage with these landscapes in literature.
- A reader-response perspective could provide insights into how audiences interpret geographic poetics beyond authorial intent.
- Geographical Determinism Concerns
- Although Omhovère critiques geographical determinism, her study at times reinforces it by linking regional geography too rigidly to national and cultural identity.
- This can oversimplify the diverse and fluid relationships between people and place, particularly in diasporic and transnational Canadian literature.
- Limited Engagement with Ecocritical and Environmental Concerns
- Given the strong emphasis on landscape and geography, the study misses opportunities to engage with environmental criticism, especially regarding climate change, ecological degradation, and sustainability in literature.
- A stronger ecocritical framework would have enriched the discussion, especially in the context of contemporary Canadian writing.
Representative Quotations from “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere with Explanation
| No. | Quotation | Explanation |
| 1 | “Geography possesses an illocutionary force that artists relentlessly seek to capture and translate.” | Omhovère argues that geography in literature is not just a descriptive tool but an active force shaping artistic expression. This aligns with the idea that landscape is not merely a backdrop but integral to narrative and meaning-making. |
| 2 | “What makes geography work as art – is there such a thing as a poetics of geography?” | The central question of the book: Omhovère suggests that geography in literature functions beyond its scientific definition and is an artistic and symbolic construct. |
| 3 | “Landscape is therefore not an object, but a mediation through which human subjectivity connects with empirical reality.” | Geography and landscape are not fixed entities but are shaped by human perception, culture, and literary representation. This aligns with phenomenological and postmodern approaches to space. |
| 4 | “The first prairie novelists gave us the frames without the pictures.” (Citing Robert Kroetsch) | Omhovère critiques early Canadian literature for imposing European aesthetic conventions on Canadian landscapes rather than engaging with their distinct spatial and historical realities. |
| 5 | “Postmodern discontents with modernity necessarily called into question the hierarchization of space into such categories as centre and margin, metropolis and hinterland.” | She connects Canadian literary geography with postmodern and postcolonial concerns, arguing that Canadian literature disrupts traditional spatial hierarchies. |
| 6 | “In Kroetsch’s statement, ‘geography’ short-circuits the dynamic opposition between place and space through a metaphor that condenses the mutual enwrapping of the intimate and the extimate.” | Omhovère discusses how Canadian writers, like Robert Kroetsch, use geography metaphorically to merge subjective and objective experiences of space. |
| 7 | “Geography, as a matter of fact, has often been relied upon to naturalize cultural variations and the diversity of literary traditions.” | She critiques the use of geography in nationalist and colonial discourses, where it has been used to essentialize and naturalize cultural identities. |
| 8 | “Bowering invests aridity, a geographical trait, with an oppositional political value to contradict the aesthetic standards imported from green Albion.” | She highlights how Canadian authors subvert European landscape aesthetics by embracing the harsh and barren aspects of Canadian geography. |
| 9 | “Places Far From Ellesmere uses geography poetically to refute the equation a patriarchal culture has posited between the bodies of women and the spaces male writers, whether novelists or explorers, lay claim to.” | Omhovère examines feminist interventions in geographical discourse, showing how writers like Aritha van Herk challenge the colonial and patriarchal construction of space. |
| 10 | “Postmodern geography opens onto the questioning of the place of the subject of enunciation in relation to the space of representation.” | She argues that Canadian postmodern writers use geography to challenge notions of authorship and representation, positioning space as dynamic and contested rather than fixed. |
Suggested Readings: “The Poetics Of Geography In English-Canadian Literature” by Clair Omhovere
- Omhovère, Claire. “The Poetics of Geography in English-Canadian Literature.” (2008): 345-362.
- Withers, Charles W. J. “Place and the ‘Spatial Turn’ in Geography and in History.” Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 70, no. 4, 2009, pp. 637–58. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20621915. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
- ALEXANDER, NEAL. “Imaginative Geographies: The Politics and Poetics of Space.” Ciaran Carson: Space, Place, Writing, Liverpool University Press, 2010, pp. 23–56. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt5vjcgf.6. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
- VICO, GIAMBATTISTA, et al. “[POETIC GEOGRAPHY].” The New Science of Giambattista Vico: Unabridged Translation of the Third Edition (1744) with the Addition of “Practic of the New Science,” Cornell University Press, 1984, pp. 285–96. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt20d89gr.25. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.