1. Every Trip is a Quest and Geography Matters
From
How To Read Literature Like a Professor by
Thomas C. Foster

2. Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)
Our quester
A place to go
A stated reason to go
Challenges and trials
The real reason to go
Every trip is a quest, unless it’s just a trip.
All quests are ultimately for self-knowledge. Ex: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Huck Finn, Grapes of Wrath

3. Our quester – Acne riddled kid named Kip in 1968
A place to go
A stated reason to go
Challenges and trials
The real reason to go

4. Our quester – Acne riddled kid named Kip in 1968
A place to go – A&P Grocery Store (on his humiliating one-speed coaster-brake bike)
A stated reason to go
Challenges and trials
The real reason to go

5. Our quester – Acne riddled kid named Kip in 1968
A place to go – A&P Grocery Store (on his humiliating one-speed coaster-brake bike)
A stated reason to go – to buy Wonder Bread for his mother
Challenges and trials
The real reason to go

6. Our quester – Acne riddled kid named Kip in 1968
A place to go – A&P Grocery Store (on his humiliating one-speed coaster-brake bike)
A stated reason to go – to buy Wonder Bread for his mother
Challenges and trials – 1) unpleasant encounter with a German Shepard, 2) sees Karen (girl of his dreams) horsing around with Tony in the back of Tony’s brand new Barracuda…
The real reason to go

7. Our quester – Acne riddled kid named Kip in 1968
A place to go – A&P Grocery Store (on his humiliating one-speed coaster-brake bike)
A stated reason to go – to buy Wonder Bread for his mother
Challenges and trials – 1) unpleasant encounter with a German Shepard, 2) sees Karen (girl of his dreams) horsing around with Tony in the back of Tony’s brand new Barracuda…
The real reason to go – as he reaches for the Wonder Bread he decides to lie about his age to the Marine recruiter even though it means going to ‘Nam because nothing will ever happen for him in this one horse ‘burg where the only thing that matters is how much money your old man has…

8. Every Trip Is a Quest Knight – Kip
Holy Grail– to buy Wonder Bread for his mother
Dangerous Road– big bad dog
Dragon - Tony’s brand new Barracuda?
Evil Knight- Tony
Beautiful Princess- Karen
The real reason to go – to find himself

9. Geography Matters Defining or developing character
Geography as a character
Geography’s specific plot role
Geography as metaphor for the psyche
Hills/valleys, ups/downs, north/south
Geography matters.
Going west means seeking rebirth, new horizons, fresh start.  East is looking for roots.
South is to run amok, confront the subconscious.  Geography can be critical to setting, of
course, but also to plot, character, psychology, attitude, theme.
What represents home, family, love, security?
What represents wilderness, danger, confusion? i.e. tunnels, labyrinths, jungles
Geography can represent the human psyche (Heart of Darkness)
Going south=running amok and running amok means having a direct, raw encounter with the subconscious.
Low places: swamps, crowds, fog, darkness, fields, heat, unpleasantness, people, life, death
High places: snow, ice, purity, thin air, clear views, isolation, life, death

10. Defining or developing character:
Nick (Great Gatsby) must leave home to find himself. Geography of place and economics.
Great Gatsby

11. Geography as a character:
The sea in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea

12. Geography’s specific plot role:
The sleepy and self-satisfied town of Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird.

13. Geography as metaphor for the psyche:
Where a character comes from informs his psyche; a mountain man, a flatlander, a city dweller.

14. hills/valleys, ups/downs, north/south:
author’s send characters south/down to run amok.

15. Defining or developing character – Nick must leave home to find himself. Geography of place and economics.
Geography as a character – The sea in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
Geography’s specific plot role – The sleepy and self-satisfied town of Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Geography as metaphor for the psyche – Where a character comes from informs his psyche; a mountain man, a flatlander, a city dweller.
Hills/valleys, ups/downs, north/south – author’s send characters south/down to run amok.