The Geographies of David Foster Wallace's Novels: Spatial History and Literary Practice

ISBN-13: 9781474497541 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 248 str.

Laurie McRae Andrew

Opis

Explores the relationship between geography and David Foster Wallace's novels Deploys an innovative methodology combining aspects of cultural geography and literary criticism, extending recent work in literary geographies Presents expansive and detailed readings of each of Wallace's novels, drawing new connections between these texts and their historical context Makes extensive original use of archival sources to elucidate the spatial aspects of Wallace's literary practice The Geographies of David Foster Wallace's Novels takes a fresh look at David Foster Wallace's novels through the lens of historical geography. It explores the connections between Wallace's literary practice and the reshaping of American geographical space that resulted from the transition between Fordist and post-Fordist forms of capitalism, presenting critical readings of the novels together with analysis of manuscripts and notebooks from Wallace's archive. Deploying an innovative methodology that combines aspects of cultural geography and literary criticism, each novel is historically situated through a spatial keyword, expanding our understanding of the connections between social context and formal innovation in Wallace's work.

Spis treści

Table of contents
Acknowledgements
Texts and abbreviations
Introduction

1. ‘This strange, occluded place’: regional geography, the Midwest and The Broom of the System
2. ‘Abroad in the urban night’ (I): metropolis, ‘postmetropolis’ and Infinite Jest
3. ‘Abroad in the urban night’ (II): empathy, community and the image of the city in Infinite Jest
4. What is Peoria for? (I): postindustrial life and the language of place in The Pale King
5. What is Peoria For? (II): Peoria, the Edge City and The Pale King

Bibliography