WRITING IN PRACTICE VOL 11

ABSTRACT

Using Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of the literary artistic chronotope, this paper explores the interplay between literary theory and creative writing, and how theories of literary criticism can offer provocation and insight into the creative act. The artistic chronotope is concerned with how time/space is rendered in a work of literature. With specific attention to the ‘aircraft chronotope’, how time/space is represented in prose fiction set aboard aircraft, the paper draws together acts of analysis, creativity and pedagogy, exploring the question of how writers can use the notion of time/space in their creative work. The paper focuses on the short stories “All the People Were Mean and Bad” by Lucy Caldwell and Miranda July’s “Roy Spivey”, to identify the creative possibilities of the literary chronotope. The intention is to analyse how student writers can recognize and develop the quality of their own prose writing through engagement with literary theory. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, this paper seeks to support writers and educators to reimagine the role of literary theory in their pedagogy and craft.

KEYWORDS

Chronotope, Bakhtin, Creative Writing, Aircraft, Dialogism in writing, Creative writing pedagogy, Literary theory. 

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE
Gregory, Sean. (2025) Writing the Chronotope: Critical Analysis and Creative
Action. Writing in Practice. 11  DOI: 10.62959/WIP-11-2025-03