ABC blog: E

See previous entries A B C D

E is for empathy. This is a relatively new topic for me. When I wrote my book The Rhetoric of Character I discussed interiority as a narrative device, exploring interior monologue and Erlebte Rede (another E) and free indirect discourse, which is the same as Erlebte Rede, although some narratologists would insist that it isn't. 

Some years ago I discovered cognitive literary criticism, which was a revelation. It uses ideas from cognitive psychology to explain why we read fiction and why we care about fictional characters who are nothing but a bit ink on paper. Empathy plays an important role since it encourages us to contemplate what other people feel. In real life, empathy is an essential social skill. People who for some reason lack empathy have problems interacting with other people. We may misjudge other people, hurt them and make really fatal mistakes. By reading fiction, we can train our empathic skills without taking any risks. The character will not get hurt if we misunderstand them, and the world will not end because we could not predict someone's intentions. And we can always go back and re-read, to understand it better. The more we read the better we understand how other people feel and think. Paradoxically, books that do not portray interiority can sometimes provide even better training because we actually need to make an effort to understand how they feel rather than being told. 

Empathy does not develop fully until a relatively late stage. Young children, age three-four, can understand how other people think: it is called theory of mind and is another fascinating concept. But understanding other people's feelings does not come until late adolescence. We often hear and say that teenagers are self-centred and don't care about other people's feelings. There is a very clever explanation why this is so and should be so. Don't scold your teenager for being selfish: it is vital for their survival. 

Most children's and young adult literature shows characters who learn to interact with other people. Therefore I find that cognitive criticism is particularly relevant for children's literature studies.

When I started working on my cognitive project and claimed that reading fiction is good for your brain, people would ask: “Can you prove it?” I had to admit that I couldn't, but that I believed science would prove it very soon. And it did.

So E is also for readers' engagement, and it is for emotions as represented in fiction and as experienced vicariously by readers. E is also for evolution because it explains why storytelling was beneficial for our ancestors.

Blog challenge Day 26 – Your fears

In CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), the first thing you have to do is make a list of your fears. CBT implies, as follows from the name, that you understand your behaviour and therefore can cope with it. In this case, understand why you are scared of certain things. It doesn't necessarily mean that you stop being scared, but you feel better about being scared.

I used to be scared of calling up people on the phone because I was scared I wouldn't hear what they said and respond inadequately. This has had quite a significant impact on my professional life. People who don't suffer from phobias will never understand. You are not lazy, you are not showing off, you are not in a bad mood – you simply cannot do it, although sometimes you have to, and then it costs you more energy than anyone can imagine. If you do suffer from a phobia, any phobia, you will understand other people whatever their special phobia might be: lifts, planes, heights, caves, snakes, birds, cats, crowded places, talking in public. You recognise a soulmate.

I am scared of snakes, but I am ok with spiders. I am scared of driving to unfamiliar places because I am scared that I won't find a parking space and be late. I am scared of using ticket machines or self-checkouts, because I am scared of making a mistake. I am scared of talking to people who speak a broad dialect because I can misunderstand what they say, and it's embarrassing. In terms of understanding behaviour, making a fool of myself must be my biggest problem. I won't go deep into my childhood to investigate it.

But these are small, everyday fears that you either learn to cope with or you don't, and then they will spoil your life. When I was young I was scared of dying. All people are scared of dying, but some people think about it all the time and suffer from it. I was scared to go to sleep because I was scared of not waking up. I wanted someone by my side when I went to sleep. Recently, perhaps five-six years ago, I realised that going to sleep and never waking up is the best way to die. You won't even notice. This is very logical from the CBT point of view, but it won't work if you are young.

What I am really scared of is one of those states when you are paralysed and cannot communicate, or you are losing your memory and sometimes understand what's going on but cannot do anything. Anton, who puts titles on my film-renting list, has made me watch The Butterfly and the Diving Bell and The Notebook. I am glad I have seen them, but they haunt me. McEwan's Amsterdam haunts me too. Many years ago I saw my great-aunt going senile, and it was scary. Sometimes she was clear in her mind, just to wander away five minutes later. She could also get aggressive. I am scared of becoming like that. I am scared of not being able to talk. They say that people sometimes forget their mothertongue, but not other languages, or forget one at a time. I am scared of being enclosed in myself. Scared of being in a diving bell. Nowadays, when I go to sleep I think that I would certainly like to wake up next morning, but if I don't it's not that bad.

Blog challenge Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better

If there are many things that make me upset (see yesterday's post), luckily, there are more things that make me feel better. If I wake up in the morning with this terrible feeling that I don't want to leave my bed, a little sunshine through the window makes life worth living. Therefore I always keep the bedroom curtains drawn back. The sight of snowdrops in early spring makes me feel better. The cat that greets me in the doorway. Birds at the feeder. A glass of wine. A cup of tea. An email from a publisher who has decided to publish my book. A good student essay. A hug from Staffan. A phone call from Anton. A chat with Julia. A haircut. A new blouse. Anticipation of a party. A present, no matter how small. And, as a very last resort, chocolate.

Blog challenge Day 22 – Something that upsets you

I am one of those people who get upset very easily. I get upset by a broken cup or disconnected broadband. I get terribly upset when deer eat my tulips. I get upset when I have worked for hours on lighting in my dollhouse, and it won't switch on. I get tremendously upset when I have been stressed and crashed the car into a gate post.

I get upset when people are stupid. Both someone in a supermarket line and politicians. I am terribly upset about what's going on with higher education in the UK. Anyone can see how stupid it is.

I get upset when students do not submit work in time. I get upset when my cakes burn in the oven. I get upset when I discover a ladder in my stocking. I get upset when I see a wine stain on my new white sofa. Silly thing to get upset about.

I get upset when I am not appreciated for what I do.

I get upset when people say that children's literature is inferior to "real" literature. No, I don't get upset then. I get furious.