Week Two: Setting is a Character

Map of Loavecraft's Dreamworld by Jason Thompson

In class this week we will practice mapping personal worlds. We will review how to set up a wiki on which to post all work for this semester. The reading assignment for this week is to read several selections by H.P. Lovecraft.  The slections will be found on the course resource page. The writing assignment is to write your own setting that has strong character traits, reflecting the understanding that environment, the setting of the story is another character, and sometimes the most important character in the story. Focus on making the language of your description deliver the character of the environment.

One way you can approach this week's writing is to overlay over the maps we made in class. For example, since we started with mapping some of your foundation, why don't you map your aspirations: Write a map of your aspirational world. Make sure it expresses, the best you can, the refined and amplified nature of your aspirational character. Attitude.

Another thing you might do is to create an imaginary world under the influence of H.P. Lovecraft, even a part of his "mythos." Lovecraft's representation of his world is rooted in the effects and atmosphere of his language. Tolkien rooted Middle Earth in the creation of an original language. Lovecraft roots his world in an atmosphere he creates at every level of the language he uses. This is how he represents the character of the environment in his stories. You might try evoking a world of your own devising using a type of language you find appropriate and that strongly projects the attitude you want embedded in the setting. Feel freee to make any additions to any elements of Lovecraft's world.

Or if you like you can even remix your personal map, your Oz world and something Lovecraftian and see what you come up with.

All maps are projections.



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