“Geography and Literature” by Douglas C.D. Pocock: Summary and Critique

1. The Interdisciplinary Nature of Geography and Literature

• Pocock argues that geography is inherently interdisciplinary, borrowing insights from various disciplines, including literature. He states, “With a derivative base and integrative aim, it is the very essence of geography to ‘borrow’” (Pocock, 1981, p. 88).
• The interaction between geography and literature is essential for understanding human-environment relationships, as literature presents an integrated perspective on “person, plot, and place” (Thorpe, 1967).

2. The Neglect of Setting in Literary Criticism

• Pocock points out that literary studies have historically neglected the role of setting and landscape, which he finds ironic given their influence on action and personality.
• He cites Marcotte (1974) and Lutwack (1984), who note that setting has often been overlooked, with even prominent literary works like Aspects of the Novel by Forster (1927) failing to address it, aside from a single page on “Uses of the weather” (p. 88).
• However, some literary scholars have given attention to place, such as Watson (1970), Barrell (1972), and Alcorn (1977).

3. Early Geographic Engagement with Literature

• Interest in using literature for geographical studies dates back to Mill (1910) in England and Anon (1923) in North America.
• However, significant academic engagement only began in the 1970s, with major conferences like:
  • The 1972 IGU meeting on regional novels in teaching geography.
  • The 1974 AAG session on landscape in literature.
  • The IBG’s annual conferences on geography and literature from 1979 onward.

4. The Role of Setting in Literature and Geography

• Pocock asserts that setting is the “most obvious point of interest for our discipline” (p. 89).
• Literature’s descriptive power has been utilized by geographers to justify regional concepts (Gilbert, 1960), illustrate landscape features (Salter, 1978), and explore regional consciousness (Paterson, 1965; Pocock, 1978, 1979).
• Fictional landscapes, though often disregarded, offer important insights into human-environment relationships (Lowenthal, 1983).

5. Relationship Between Geography, Setting, and Fiction

• The distinction between factual geography and literary landscapes is blurred, as authors often “visit potential localities, investigate local history and customs, or construct maps” (Sillitoe, 1975, p. 59-77).
• However, literature transforms place into symbolic meaning, as “all places in literature are used for symbolical purposes even though in their descriptiveness they may be rooted in fact” (Lutwack, 1984, p. 29-31).

6. Character and Environment in Literature

• The geographer’s interest in person-environment relations finds a parallel in literature.
• Classic literature often presents a causal relationship between place and character, as seen in “And as the soil, so the heart of man” (Byron).
• Regional novels depict a symbiotic relationship between place and personality (Alcorn, 1977).
• Modern literature, however, has distanced itself from this connection, treating place more as a symbol of psychological states than a determinant of character (Porteous, 1986).

7. Literature as a Source of Geographical Knowledge

• Pocock argues that literature does not merely reflect geography but actively constructs it by shaping our perceptions of space and place.
• He cites The Swiss Family Robinson as a literary representation of 19th-century Australian colonization (Birmingham and Jeans, 1983).
• Literature has been used to study migration, urban segregation, and informal economies (White, 1985; Lloyd, 1981; Hart and Rogerson, 1985).

8. The Role of Metaphor and Language in Geographic Thought

• Language and metaphor play a crucial role in structuring our geographical understanding.
• Pocock highlights studies on metaphor in geography, such as Buttimer’s (1984) “root metaphors” and Livingstone and Harrison’s (1981) work on “meaning through metaphor”.
• The “body-landscape metaphor”, in which landscapes are described in human anatomical terms, has been a longstanding literary device (Porteous, 1986; Lutwack, 1984).

9. Literature’s Role in Social and Environmental Awareness

• Literature has shaped public attitudes toward the environment, influencing perceptions of landscapes such as mountains (Nicolson, 1959), deserts (Smith, 1961), and heathlands (Olwig, 1981).
• Pocock suggests that literature fosters a sensitivity to the environment, a necessity for human survival (Lutwack, 1984).

10. Conclusion: The Dual Role of Literature in Geography

• Literature serves as both “a source and a tool for geographical exploration” (Pocock, 1981, p. 97).
• The intersection of geography and literature is both substantive (data-seeking) and methodological (philosophical).
• Some geographers engage with literature through literary criticism (e.g., studies on Lawrence and Hardy), while others use it to explore cultural geography.
• Ultimately, Pocock asserts that geography is concerned with storytelling, making its engagement with literature a natural and necessary scholarly endeavor.

1. Humanist Literary Geography

• Pocock emphasizes a humanistic approach to geography through literature, arguing that literature provides insights into the human experience of place.
• He highlights how setting in literature is not merely a backdrop but a key element shaping human consciousness: “Place emerges through experience and in turn symbolizes that experience” (Pocock, 1981, p. 90).
• His work aligns with humanist geography, which focuses on lived experience, perception, and meaning in place, similar to the theories proposed by Yi-Fu Tuan (1978a).

2. Environmental Determinism and Its Critique in Literature

• Pocock discusses how literature historically portrayed environmental determinism—the idea that physical geography influences human behavior and culture.
• He notes that “the novel, especially during the nineteenth century, widely drew a causal relationship between place and character” (Pocock, 1981, p. 91).
• This resonates with the deterministic perspectives of early geographic thought but is problematized in modern literary studies, where place is seen as more fluid and symbolic.

3. Space and Place Theory in Literary Studies

• The article contributes to spatial literary criticism by asserting that literary settings influence both character and narrative structure.
• Pocock argues, “setting, the landscape, locality, place, or region in which a story is set, is the most obvious point of interest for our discipline” (Pocock, 1981, p. 89).
• This aligns with Henri Lefebvre’s The Production of Space (1974), which argues that space is socially and symbolically produced.

4. Regionalism and the Literary Representation of Place

• Pocock examines how regional literature constructs identity, stating that “regional novels described the symbiosis with particular settings” (Pocock, 1981, p. 91).
• His work connects with regional literary studies, which explore how literature shapes perceptions of specific geographical regions, as seen in the works of Lawrence Buell (1995).

5. Metaphor and Symbolism in Literary Geography

• Pocock discusses the use of metaphor in describing landscapes, aligning with semiotic literary theory.
• He references “the body-landscape metaphor,” where “parts of the body are metaphorically matched with landscape features” (Porteous, 1986b, p. 10, cited in Pocock, 1981).
• This corresponds with structuralist literary theory, particularly the work of Roland Barthes, who explored how metaphors shape cultural meaning.

6. Poststructuralist Approaches to Literature and Geography

• While Pocock does not explicitly engage with poststructuralism, his discussion of the “social construction of literature” reflects poststructuralist concerns.
• He notes that literature is not merely reflective of reality but a “socially constructed product, influenced by historical and ideological contexts” (Pocock, 1981, p. 95).
• This aligns with the ideas of Michel Foucault (1980), who argued that discourse shapes our understanding of reality.

7. The Role of Literature in Shaping Environmental Perception

• Pocock suggests that literature influences environmental consciousness, stating, “creative literature is to be seen in terms of the contemporary need for sensitivity to the environment for human survival” (Pocock, 1981, p. 92).
• This contribution aligns with ecocriticism, particularly the works of Cheryll Glotfelty (1996), who argued that literature shapes ecological awareness.

8. Narrative and Spatial Structure in Literary Studies

• Pocock highlights how “location is the cross-roads of circumstance” (Welty, 1956, p. 59, cited in Pocock, 1981), emphasizing the role of space in narrative construction.
• His analysis connects with narrative theory, particularly the work of Mikhail Bakhtin (1981) on the chronotope, which examines how space and time interact in storytelling.

1. Lack of Reciprocal Engagement Between Literature and Geography

• Pocock himself acknowledges that the interest in the interface between geography and literature has been “largely unidirectional” (Pocock, 1981, p. 88).
• Critics argue that while geographers borrow from literature, literary scholars have not significantly engaged with geographical perspectives, making the dialogue imbalanced.

2. Overemphasis on Regionalism and Traditional Literary Forms

• Pocock’s analysis largely focuses on regional novels and classic literary forms, particularly 19th-century literature.
• Porteous (1985) critiques literary geographers for “concentrating on nineteenth-century novels and rural settings,” arguing that this overlooks the diversity of modern literature, including urban and postmodern texts.

3. Underrepresentation of Non-Western Literatures

• The study primarily focuses on English literature or literature from the English-speaking world.
• While Pocock acknowledges this limitation, critics argue that a more global perspective would enhance the applicability of his theories to non-Western literary traditions (Pocock, 1981, p. 88).

4. Insufficient Engagement with Poststructuralism and Critical Theory

• Pocock’s approach leans towards humanistic geography, but it does not fully engage with poststructuralist and critical theories such as those of Foucault or Derrida.
• Watson (1986) suggests that “landscape being a text whose meaning depends on the interaction of its different parts” aligns with structuralist thought, yet Pocock does not explore this in depth.

5. The Problem of Extracting Geography from Literature

• Some literary critics argue that extracting geographical insights from literature risks reducing the artistic integrity of the work.
• Thrift (1978) warns that such an approach may “destroy the totality of the art form,” making literature a mere tool for geographical study rather than an independent artistic expression.

6. Questionable Use of Literature as Empirical Evidence

• Weightman (1977) argues that “the novel is no good as evidence for a social scientist—unless he’s studying reading habits.”
• The use of fiction as a primary geographical source is debated, as literature often prioritizes symbolic rather than factual representation of space and place.

7. Limited Exploration of the Role of the Reader

• Postmodern literary theories emphasize the reader’s role in interpreting texts, but Pocock’s approach is more author- and text-centered.
• Silk (1984) critiques the tendency of geographers to treat literary texts as stable representations of place without fully considering how readers construct meaning.

1. “With a derivative base and integrative aim, it is the very essence of geography to ‘borrow’.”
   • Pocock highlights the interdisciplinary nature of geography, arguing that it frequently draws from other fields, including literature, to enrich its analytical framework. This suggests that geography is not a self-contained discipline but one that relies on external narratives to develop its perspectives.
2. “The interface with literature, with its integrated triad of person, plot and place, is an essential field for geography no less than for any other discipline attempting an explication of the human condition.”
   • Here, Pocock defines the fundamental connection between geography and literature. He suggests that literature’s depiction of individuals, events, and settings provides crucial insights for geographical studies, particularly in understanding human-environment relationships.
3. “It is the exception and delight to geographers, therefore, to come upon works of particular literary scholars which do give due attention to the neglected place element.”
   • Pocock laments the general lack of attention given to place in literary analysis. While many literary critics focus on character and plot, he sees setting as equally vital and celebrates those scholars who acknowledge its importance.
4. “Setting, the landscape, locality, place or region in which a story is set, is the most obvious point of interest for our discipline.”
   • This statement reinforces the idea that setting is the primary link between geography and literature. By analyzing descriptions of landscapes and locations in literary texts, geographers can gain insights into regional identities and spatial perceptions.
5. “Poetry, it is generally accepted, is less concerned with observation of landscape than with its use to set in motion the writer’s subjective response.”
   • Pocock acknowledges that different literary genres engage with geography in distinct ways. While novels may provide detailed landscape descriptions, poetry often transforms geographical elements into personal, emotional, or symbolic expressions.
6. “Belief in a factual base is fostered by knowledge of the extent to which authors visit potential localities, investigate local history and customs, or construct or consult maps.”
   • This highlights the blurred boundary between fiction and reality in literary geography. Pocock argues that many authors base their fictional settings on real places, reinforcing the geographical credibility of their narratives.
7. “Literature not only reconstitutes, it may also formulate experience, most generally through its socializing role whereby our culture is the norm by which we evaluate the rest of the world.”
   • Pocock emphasizes literature’s power to shape perceptions of places and societies. Through stories, readers develop cultural expectations and assumptions about different regions, reinforcing or challenging geographical stereotypes.
8. “We require challenge of the new, as well as security of the established, place – movement as well as rootedness.”
   • Here, Pocock reflects on the dialectic between stability and mobility in human geography. Literature, he argues, captures this tension by depicting characters’ attachments to places alongside their desires for exploration and change.
9. “The geographer clearly aims to ‘better’ with a distinctive viewpoint or thrust as he or she seeks understanding of human-environment relations.”
   • This statement defends the geographer’s use of literature, asserting that geographical analysis adds value to literary studies by offering unique perspectives on space, place, and landscape.
10. “The ultimate engagement with literature is achieved when scholar turns artist.”

• Pocock suggests that the highest form of interaction between geography and literature occurs when geographers themselves engage in creative writing. By producing their own literary works, they can experiment with geographical storytelling in new and imaginative ways.