Mapping the Underthing: Literary Geography and Geographic Education in The Slow Regard of Silent Things

This thesis examines the imagined geography of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Slow Regard of Silent Things. Through textual analysis, it investigates how fictional spaces can be mapped, the significance of toponyms (i.e., place-names), and the broader implications for literary and geographic studies. Of the fifty-two (52) toponyms analyzed, thirty-eight (38) were meaningfully identified using the text and the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), revealing deliberate naming schemes associated with function, emotion, or symbolism. These findings provide insight into the main character’s world, and her unique relationship with space and place. This study demonstrates that even wholly imagined settings have an underlying spatial logic that can be analyzed and visualized and thus contribute to a deeper understanding of the novella and geography’s role in literature. This thesis also explores the educational potential of this exercise in literary geography. While not directly aligning with traditional geographic curricula, studying fictional landscapes can encourage spatial thinking, critical analysis, and interdisciplinary learning. Additionally, the novella’s unique focus on solitude and perception resonates with broader cultural discussions. By bridging literature and geography, this thesis highlights the value of spatial analysis in understanding fictional worlds and deepens appreciation for how narratives construct meaning through place.