The Poetics of Space

In The Poetics of Space, Bachelard explores the role of topophilia in creativity; more specifically, he examines how a space can influence the ability of an individual to connect with resonance, or the imaginative realm. He opens by asking the reader to consider the childhood home. This space, he asserts, is imprinted on the mind of the individual. When one begins to question consciousness to explore the details of the space, they come into view. The childhood home becomes the first introduction to daydreaming, the first connection to poetics.

In Chapter 2, Bachelard draws a distinct line between the human psyche and the home. He states that the house is a manifestation of a person’s emotional architecture; individuals both impart their influence on a home and are influenced by it. By inviting readers to consider the childhood home, Bachelard engages them in the exploration of that emotional architecture and the way a house can speak to many different parts of human existence, including imagination and unconsciousness. In Chapter 3, he looks at the home on a more miniscule scale and shows how items in the house—such as drawers and boxes—connect the individual to greater intimacy.