Spatial Temporality: Introduction
Spatial temporality is a multidisciplinary concept that investigates the interconnected relationship between space and time, transcending traditional linear and compartmentalized approaches. It challenges conventional notions of temporality by acknowledging the dynamic and complex nature of spatial processes.
This concept is integral in various academic fields, including geography, philosophy, and urban planning, offering a fresh perspective for investigating the intricate interplay of space and time.
Spatial temporality encourages a holistic understanding of the world, emphasizing the significance of context and contextuality in our comprehension of reality. It provides a framework for exploring how space and time coalesce, shaping human experiences and environments.
Spatial Temporality: Concept in Literature and Theory
| Point | Explanation | Example |
| Spatial Temporality Definition | Explores the link between space and time in literature, highlighting how settings affect the narrative’s temporality. | In Gabriel García Márquez‘s One Hundred Years of Solitude, Macondo’s evolving landscape mirrors temporal changes. |
| Spatio-Temporal Dynamics | Studies how spatial elements impact the temporal progression, shaping the characters’ temporal experiences. | In William Faulkner‘s The Sound and the Fury, portrays Compson House’s decay, reflecting the characters’ disintegration. |
| Temporalization of Space | Examines how spaces transform over time, influencing the narrative’s meaning and character experiences. | In T.S. Eliot‘s “The Waste Land,” depicts the evolving Thames River, reflecting characters’ shifting temporal states. |
| Narrative Chronotopes | Explores recurring spatial-temporal patterns in different works, adding to the understanding of how time and space intertwine. | The “Gothic castle” symbolizes mystery and temporal suspension in works like Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein. |
| Temporal Layers in Setting | Highlights the coexistence and interaction of past, present, and future within a single spatial location, adding depth to the narrative. | In Jorge Luis Borges‘s “The Garden of Forking Paths,” features a labyrinthine garden where temporal dimensions converge. |
| Spatial Memory and Nostalgia | Investigates how specific locations evoke memories and temporal shifts, contributing to a work’s emotional and thematic dimensions. | In Marcel Proust‘s In Search of Lost Time, uses a madeleine to trigger temporal memories and nostalgia in the narrator. |
| Temporal Spatiality in Postmodernism | Examines nonlinear narratives, fragmented spaces, and time travel narratives that challenge traditional spatio-temporal conventions. | Italo Calvino‘s Invisible Cities explores fantastical cities and spaces with unconventional spatio-temporal boundaries. |
| Cultural and Historical Context | Considers how cultural and historical contexts influence the intertwining of space and time in different literary traditions. | Chinua Achebe‘s Things Fall Apart blends Igbo cultural temporality with spatial changes due to British colonialism. |
| Interdisciplinary Applications | Shows how spatial-temporal concepts intersect with fields like philosophy, geography, and cultural studies, enriching understanding from various perspectives. | Cultural geographers examine spatial-temporal concepts’ impact on place, identity, and movement. |
| Reader’s Temporal Experience | Explores how the reader’s experience is shaped by the narrative’s spatial-temporal elements and descriptions, enhancing immersion in the story. | J.R.R. Tolkien‘s The Lord of the Rings immerses readers in a carefully constructed spatial-temporal landscape. |
Spatial Temporality: Definition as a Theoretical Term
Spatial temporality, as a theoretical term in literature and theory, refers to the interconnectedness of space and time within narratives. It emphasizes the integral role of physical settings and locations in shaping the temporal experiences of characters and the narrative. This concept underscores how changes in spatial elements or settings influence the perception of time and contribute to the overall meaning of a literary work.
Spatial Temporality: Theorists, Works and Arguments
| Theorists | Works | Arguments |
| Henri Lefebvre | The Production of Space (1974) | Lefebvre’s work explores the relationship between space, social structures, and lived experiences. He argues that space is not just a physical entity but a social product, highlighting the interplay of space and time in shaping human existence. |
| Michel Foucault | Of Other Spaces (1967) | Foucault’s essay on heterotopias investigates spaces that exist outside of conventional time and space. He suggests that these spaces challenge and reshape our understanding of spatial and temporal boundaries. |
| Gaston Bachelard | The Poetics of Space (1958) | Bachelard’s exploration of the phenomenology of space delves into the emotional and imaginative aspects of spatial experience. He argues that spaces have temporal dimensions and can evoke various psychological and temporal responses. |
| Edward Soja | Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-and-Imagined Places (1996) | Soja’s concept of “thirdspace” challenges traditional spatial and temporal categorizations. He argues that this thirdspace is an intersection of real and imagined spaces, where alternative temporalities can emerge. |
| David Harvey | Spaces of Hope (2000) | Harvey explores how the production of space is intertwined with temporal processes. He argues that space is a crucial factor in the reproduction of capitalist systems, highlighting the political and economic dimensions of spatial temporality. |
Spatial Temporality: Locating it in Literary Works
- “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez:
- Spatial Temporality: The novel’s setting, the town of Macondo, undergoes significant spatial and temporal transformations. The evolving landscape of Macondo mirrors temporal changes, influencing the narrative’s temporality and characters’ experiences.
- “The Sound and the Fury” by William Faulkner:
- Spatial Temporality: Faulkner’s novel features the Compson House as a central setting. The decay and transformation of this spatial element reflect the characters’ disintegration and temporal disorientation, contributing to the complex temporal layers within the narrative.
- “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot:
- Spatial Temporality: The poem explores the spatio-temporal dynamics of the Thames River. The river is portrayed as an evolving space that reflects the characters’ shifting temporal states and contributes to the poem’s fragmented sense of time.
- “In Search of Lost Time” by Marcel Proust:
- Spatial Temporality: Proust’s work delves into spatial memory and nostalgia. The famous madeleine scene exemplifies how a specific location triggers temporal memories and evokes a sense of nostalgia, intertwining space and time in the narrative.
- “Invisible Cities” by Italo Calvino:
- Spatial Temporality: Calvino’s novel challenges traditional spatial and temporal conventions. The fantastical cities and spaces explored in the book create unconventional spatio-temporal boundaries, emphasizing the interplay of space and time.
These examples demonstrate how spatial temporality can manifest in literary works through the interconnections between physical settings and temporal experiences, enriching the narrative’s meaning and complexity.
Spatial Temporality: Relevance with Literary Theories
| Theory | Relevance |
| Feminist Literary Theory | Feminist literary theory often explores the gendered dimensions of space and time within narratives. Spatial temporality can be used to analyze how the portrayal of space and its transformation relate to the temporal experiences of female characters. It provides a lens to examine how gender roles and expectations are embedded in the spatial and temporal aspects of a literary work. |
| Postcolonial Literary Theory | Postcolonial literature frequently grapples with the spatial and temporal consequences of colonization and decolonization. Spatial temporality can be employed to investigate how the spatial dimensions of a narrative reflect the power dynamics and historical temporality of colonial and postcolonial contexts. It aids in understanding how space and time are intertwined in the representation of postcolonial identities and narratives. |
| Psychoanalytic Literary Theory | Psychoanalytic theory, particularly the work of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, explores the subconscious and the role of memory and trauma. Spatial temporality can be applied to analyze how specific spaces within a literary work serve as repositories of memory and psychological temporality. It helps in uncovering the hidden layers of the psyche and their connection to particular spatial settings. |
| Marxist Literary Theory | Marxist theory often delves into the social and economic aspects of space and time. Spatial temporality can be used to investigate how spatial changes and divisions reflect class struggles, power dynamics, and economic shifts. It aids in understanding how space and time are integral to the representation of societal inequalities and conflicts. |
| Postmodern Literary Theory | Postmodern literature challenges traditional notions of space and time, often featuring fragmented narratives and non-linear temporalities. Spatial temporality can be employed to explore how postmodern texts manipulate spatial and temporal boundaries, creating unconventional narrative structures. It contributes to the understanding of how space and time are redefined and deconstructed in postmodern literature |
Spatial Temporality: Application on Literary Works
- “The Signal-Man” by Charles Dickens: Spatial Temporality Critique: In Dickens’ tale, the isolated signalman’s work location, a remote railway signal box, serves as the spatial setting where time and space intertwine. The eerie, secluded environment reflects the character’s sense of temporal confinement and foreboding. The spatial setting plays a significant role in the temporal disorientation experienced by the signalman.
- “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Spatial Temporality Critique: Gilman’s story takes place in a room with yellow wallpaper, where the protagonist’s confinement leads to a distorted sense of time. The spatial setting, the room’s oppressive atmosphere, and the intricate patterns on the wallpaper contribute to the character’s altered perception of time and reality.
- “The Empty House” by Algernon Blackwood: Spatial Temporality Critique: Blackwood’s narrative features an abandoned and haunted house with multiple rooms and passages. The house’s spatial layout becomes a central element in the temporal experiences of the characters. As they explore the house’s different spaces, they encounter temporal disturbances and eerie phenomena that blur the boundaries between past and present.
- “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad” by M.R. James: Spatial Temporality Critique: James’ story revolves around a beachside location and an old, unused whistle. The spatial setting of the beach, dunes, and a seemingly harmless relic leads to temporal disturbances and eerie encounters. The spatial setting, especially the desolate beach, amplifies the sense of temporal dislocation and haunting experiences.
These Victorian short stories exemplify how the concept of spatial temporality can be applied to critique literary works. Each story uses the relationship between space and time to create unique narrative dynamics, adding depth and complexity to the characters’ temporal experiences within the given spatial settings.
Spatial Temporality: Suggested Readings
- Derrida, Jacques. Of Grammatology. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.
- Lefebvre, Henri. The Production of Space. Blackwell Publishing, 1991.
- Massey, Doreen. For Space. SAGE Publications, 2005.
- Soja, Edward W. Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-and-Imagined Places. Wiley, 1996.
- Tuan, Yi-Fu. Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience. University of Minnesota Press, 2001.
- Young, Robert J.C. White Mythologies: Writing History and the West. Routledge, 1990.