Train Travel as Embodied Space-Time in Narrative Theory: Toward an Alternative Narrative Theory (Geocriticism and Spatial Literary Studies)

Train Travel as Embodied Space-Time in Narrative Theory argues that the train is a loaded trope for reconfiguring narrative theories past their “spatial turn.” Atsuko Sakaki ’ s method exploits intensive and rigorous close reading of literary and cinematic narratives on one hand, and on the other hand interdisciplinary perspectives that draw out larger connections to narrative theory. The book utilizes not only narratological frameworks but also concepts of space-focused humanity oriented social sciences, such as human geography, mobility studies, tourism studies, and qualitative/experience-based ethnography, in their post “narrative turn.” On this interface of narrative studies and spatial studies, this book pays concerted attention to the formation of affordances, or relations in which the human subject uses a space-time and things in it, in terms of passenger experience of the train carriage and its extension. Affiliation: Atsuko Sakaki, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Acknowledgments Contents Chapter 1: Introduction: The Train as Embodied Space-Time, with Case Studies of The Lady Vanishes, The Narrow Margin, and Night Train 1 The Train and the Railroad in Modernity Studies Space-Time in Narrative Studies Before and After the “Spatial Turn” The “Narrative Turn” in Space-Oriented Social Sciences 2 The Train in the Genre of Mystery “The Lady Vanishes” (1938) “The Narrow Margin” (1952) “Night Train” (Pociąg, 1959) 3 The Intent of This Project 4 The Structure of This Volume Chapter 2: Traveling Alone on the Rails into the Future: Sanshirō, My Most Secret Council, Night Train to Lisbon, and Zone 1 Rushing to the Station to Catch a Train 2 Timetable’s Tightening and Loosening Claws 3 Seat Direction/Location 4 Interaction with Other Passengers 5 Something to Read 6 Interaction with the Railroad Staff 7 Sleeping in the Carriage 8 Station as Intersection of Possible Alternatives 9 Different Trains Chapter 3: Juncture 1: Wendy and Lucy Chapter 4: Best Friends for a While: Fugitives on the Train in “Night of the Milky Way Railway,” Night Passage, and The Naked Eye 1 No Place to Belong to: Fugitives Ride Trains 2 Death by Rail or a Second Life by Rail 3 Rushing to the Train Again, and Its Variations 4 Sudden Beginning and End 5 Different Trains, Again 6 All Things That Flow 7 Alternative Lives, Adjacent Spaces Chapter 5: Juncture 2: Clouds of Sils Maria Chapter 6: It’s Not “I,” It’s “You”: A Second-Person Protagonist on the Train in La Modification, Blue Journey, and Suspects on the Night Train 1 Structure of the Narrative 2 Deixis 3 Present Tense and Second-Person Narrative 4 Immanent Time / Time for Bodies to Experience 5 Experienced Space / Embodied Space / Spatial Practices 6 Space to Be Seen: Mediated Space: Mirror and Window 7 Silence and Speech and Sound: Communal Space 8 Book as a Thing: Book (Not) to Be Read; Book to Be Written 9 Biological Time Chapter 7: Conclusion: Stations as an Extension of the Train Space-Time in the Romantic Narrative “North Station” 1 Stations in Earlier Chapters 2 “North Station” References Index