In the Gene Cresswell reading for class: “The Genealogy of Place”, Cresswell outlines three levels of approach to the idea of place: Descriptive, Social Constuctionist and Phenomenological. Descriptive- this can also be thought of as an ideographic approach. This approach allows you to get to see other places that are intrinsically interesting. It helps you appreciate the specificities and particularities of other places. He referred to it as a “common sense” idea of the world consisting of a set of many places that can each be studied as unique and particular entities that can be described and outlined by their noticeable characteristics. They can be looked as distinct pieces of land that can be distinguished from one another by their people, way of life, culture. In terms of helping us understand the global world, this approach would give us an idea of how we are different from one another and how our culture is similar and/or different from others. …show more content…
One way to look at it is being aware of the different power relationships, social stratification, how has the power/money. They study how that power is distributed over the space. Looking at it from this perspective, one would try to make sense of place by analyzing the social interactions that occur there. For instance, these places are products of their respective processes and power structure. In terms of helping us understand the global world, this approach would make us think about all the causes of important social issues within different places. One would look into, for instance, how societal norms and class divisions affect the society. For example, we could look into and study the caste system in India and how it makes India the place it
Eric Walters wrote the historical fiction novel Safe as Houses, to state the strange occurrence that happened in Weston, Toronto 1954. Back in 1954, U.S had a hurricane named Hurricane Hazel, it was so strong that it caused a flood in Weston, Toronto and it had never happened before. Many Canadian authors had to write a non-fiction or fiction stories about it, such as an author named Eric Walters. Many people were wondering why would Eric Walters write about some flood, there were many reasons why.
Heritage is one of the most important factors that represents where a person came from. In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, this short story characterizes not only the symbolism of heritage, but also separates the difference between what heritage really means and what it may be portrayed as. Throughout the story, it reveals an African-American family living in small home and struggling financially. Dee is a well-educated woman who struggles to understand her family's heritage because she is embarrassed of her mother and sister, Mama and Maggie. Unlike Dee, Mama and Maggie do not have an education, but they understand and appreciate their family's background. In “Everyday Use,” the quilts, handicrafts, and Dee’s transformation helps the reader interpret that Walker exposed symbolism of heritage in two distinctive point of views.
The Europeans changed the land of the home of the Indians, which they renamed New England. In Changes in the Land, Cronon explains all the different aspects in how the Europeans changed the land. Changing by the culture and organization of the Indians lives, the land itself, including the region’s plants and animals. Cronon states, “The shift from Indian to European dominance in New England entailed important changes well known to historians in the ways these peoples organized their lives, but it also involved fundamental reorganizations less well known to historians in the region’s plant and animal communities,” (Cronon, xv). New England went through human development, environmental and ecological change from the Europeans.
Malouf is very skilled in creating a sense of place in 12 Edmondstone Street. This essay examines the different techniques he uses in describing 12 Edmondstone Street and Tuscany.
In literature, both regionalism and naturalism are derived from realism. Regionalism describes specific regional landscapes and reveals that area’s form of communication and customs. On the other hand, naturalism focuses more on society, the environment, spirits, and the concepts that are beyond what our brains are capable of comprehending; more or less, the facts. Although both make for a diverse set of literature work, they seem to interlink in ways. For instance, both regionalism and naturalism expose the reality of life and the struggles that humans face.
“Archeology” is a short fiction story written by Jennifer Egan relaying her dreams and aspirations as a child and how they change through adolescence and early adulthood as she learns more about herself and forms her identity.
An individual’s ‘Sense of Place’ is predominantly their place of belonging and acceptance in the world, may it be through a strong physical, emotional or spiritual connection. In Tim Winton’s novel ‘The Riders”, the concept of Sense of Place is explored through the desperate journey of its protagonist, Fred Scully. Scully’s elaborate search for identity throughout the novel is guided and influenced by the compulsive love he feels for his wife Jennifer and their family morals, the intensity of hope and the destruction it can cause and the nostalgic nature of Winton’s writing. Two quotes which reflect the ideals of a person’s Sense of Place are “Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him.’(Aldous Huxley) and “It is not down in any map. True places never are.” (Herman Melville). Huxley and Melville’s statements closely resemble Fred Scully’s journey and rectify some of his motivations throughout the text.
In The Houses of History, many different schools of historical thought are presented and light in shed on what exactly it means to be those different types of historians. Not all historians think the same way or approach history from the same perspective, but some similar groups of thought have converged together and have formed the various types of historians that will be presented, such as empiricists, psychohistorians, oral historians, and gender historians. All of these groups can approach the same event or concept and look at them in an entirely different way simply due to the way the historical approach they are accustomed to views things.
One must hone in their vernacular skills in order to participate in discussion as well as accurately describe the landscapes they are witnessing. Throughout his essay Lewis make the importance of vocabulary abundantly clear. Lewis’ belief I that without the ability to recognize patterns one cannot adequately discuss on any subject let alone a subject a complicated a human landscape. To be able to recognize similarities and differences and identify design motif a student should first cultivate the vocabulary necessary to do so.
One’s sense of place is determined by where they feel comfortable, at home, or simply welcomed. Millions of people consider their sense of place as being in an urban setting, but millions more are cast out of the urban space. What causes this “urban unevenness”? There are many factors to consider when thinking about the urban divide including race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical and mental health to name a few. Massey’s essay, “Global Sense of Place”, discusses what she calls “time-space compression” which can explain why some people feel included in an urban space and others are excluded. Massey’s idea of “sense of place” is furthered by looking at examples from Williamson’s accounts of the destruction
Farming the Home Place: A Japanese American community in California 1919-1982 by Valerie J. Matsumoto presents a close and in-depth study of social and culture history of Cortez, a small agricultural settlement located in San Joaquin valley in California. Divided into six chapter, the book is based primarily on the oral interviews responses from eighty three members of Issei, Nisei, and Sansei generations. However, many information are also obtained from the local newspapers, community records, and World War II concentration camp publications.
Places can have multiple meaning and value depending on the perspective it is viewed from (Massey as cited in Kaplan & Recoquillon, 2014). It can be valued for its’ mythical and historical background, its’ physical and architectural state, and the environmental role it plays in the lives of most people. According to Margaret Somerville (2013) the continent of Australia was created and shaped by two sisters who travelled around its’ perimeters. These mythical stories were established to fit the landscape and to create a visual narrative of Australia. In addition to these mythical
The human experience of encountering a new place or knowing how to act or go on in a familiar place is intimately bound up with previous experiences. Places are always ‘read’ or understood in relation to others. (Tilley 1994 p.27)
Throughout his book, he identifies various kinds of spaces each according to the medium it is produced in, and the activity which takes place within. Space therefore, is defined by analyzing its content and context. However, Lefebvre's major focus revolves on the production of social space. Social space according to Lefebvre is: " is not a thing among other things, nor a product among other products: rather, it subsumes things produced, and encompasses their interrelationships in their coexistence and simultaneity-their (relative) order and/or (relative disorder)." (Lefebvre, 73) In his book, Lefebvre argues that there are three types or modes of production which have a dialectical relationship between them; they are absolute, abstract, and differential space. Lefebvre goes on to develop a "spatial triad" in order to explain the social production of space: firstly, spatial practice( perceived space), Second, Representations of space (Conceived space), and third Representational spaces (Lived space). By understanding these three concept and their relationship to space, Lefebvre maintains that we are able to understand "its relation to 'subject'." (40) In relation to power: " the space thus produced also serves as a tool of thought and of action; that in addition to being a means of production it is also a means of control, and hence of domination, of power; yet that, as such, it escapes in part from those who would make use of it." (26) How colonial power impacts urban spaces, and shapes our responses of the new lived spaces is another aim this study focuses on. Examples of hegemonic colonial power is reflected in the segregation of the geographical and urban spaces throughout the narrative in the
23. Bunkse E., Geography and the Art of Life, The johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2004.p. 94.