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/lit/ - Literature

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4291065 No.4291065[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

I'm writing a paper on how readers experience fiction, why we immerse ourselves so readily in fictional worlds and people. I figured I could extend my research question to the /lit/ board, and see what responses I got. Thanks to anyone participating (yes, even the people who aren't going to answer the questions.)

Questions:

What effect does immersion in fiction have on you as a reader? What do you get out of it? Do you feel relaxed, satisfied, excited? Why do you think people so readily take to fictional environments? What draws <I>you</I> in to a story? Characters? Setting? Plot?

Do you think willing suspension of disbelief plays a role in how you read and experience fiction?

Again, thanks for any answers! If I get anything useful, I might use it in the paper.

>> No.4291108

>>4291065
My extreme pragmatism prevents me from suspension of disbelief unless I am personally heavily invested in the media at hand and I got chewed out for this EVERY. YEAR. in English class in high school class.

>> No.4291117

>>4291065
I found that "The Reading Process: A Phenomenological Approach" Wolfgang Iser described my thoughts on interacting with a text exactly.

I think suspension of disbelief is the absolute most important thing in approaching any text, fiction or non. It is always the limiting factor concerning your ability to interact with, understand and appreciate a text. Perhaps all criticisms of texts can be understood as a breakdown of the suspension of disbelief.

What draws me into a text is what I would call the presence of the author. I'm captivated at exactly the moment I feel as though I am being spoken to. Many texts that fail to "draw in the reader (me)" do so because they begin to sound like thoughts written down with no purpose and no expressive intent from the writer. It's the difference between reading someone's letters and reading someone's grocery list. Both are a text with informative and even subtextual content, but the grocery list is spoken emptily to no one, it exists as an extension of the writers memory and lacks the interpersonal intimacy of the letter. That intimacy, that feeling that every word is being said with the intent that you the reader come to understand something, is what I find uniquely enrapturing about literature.

Characters, plot, setting etc are complications of the voice of the speaker that become meaningful only when the author is already present in the text, as I described.

>> No.4291123

>>4291117
Ok that put it way better than I did. Um can I copy your post for a thesis, I mean jesus, I hope you have an MFA or if not, get thee to a graduate school.

>> No.4291141

>>4291123
I'm a college dropout who works at dunkin donuts 38 hours a week, no joke.

>> No.4291157

>>4291141
Do you want me to write you a recommendation for a B.A. program? Seriously. If you can say that, you have work to do with helping humanity.

>> No.4291163

>>4291157
If you're serious, I am currently applying to Deep Springs College and will need letters of recommendation if I make to the second round of the application process.

>> No.4291174

>>4291163
LOL @ deep springs. Are you a homosexual? If not I would not recommend going there. Could we compromise on Uchicago which is where the majority of Deep Springs grads end up anyways?

>> No.4291184

>>4291174
I don't have the grades to get into any good school. The Deep Springs application is heavily essay based and I hoped it would help my chances.

>> No.4291213

OP. >>4291184

What kind of program are you trying to get into? What kind of content would you need in a letter of recommendation for Deep Springs?

I <I>might</I> be able to help, depending on what you need and my own work schedule. I'm a full-time college freshman, but if you need help with it, I can certainly try.

Also, awesome post. Definitely using it (will give you credit, if that's possible on an anonymous image board). Thanks!

>> No.4291224

>>4291213
I doubt you can help me at all but I'll send you an email.

>> No.4291227

>>4291184
From what I know Deep Springs is HEAVILY based on SAT scores or I guess ACT as well because in part, the students make admissions decisions. I wrote a WACKY essay for Uchicago about how 9/11 was bullshit and didn't really affect us even in D.C. and was blown out of proportion by the media and warmongerers and got in with a 3.5 and a 1500 (old SAT)

>> No.4291231

>>4291224
I'm not them. Hey I was the first one offering to help! Send me an email. If you are serious include a 250 word writing sample on the topic of what you would do with a giant jar of mustard (that was a real essay prompt for Uchicago my year)

>> No.4291241

>>4291227
I hope you're wrong because my own SATs were just above average, 1390 old score, and my high school gpa was only 3.0. My trouble is that high school was five years ago and I am really, really not the same person I was.

>> No.4291243

>>4291231
Must I really respond to that prompt? I feel it's on the wrong side of the line between strange and juvenile.

>> No.4291659

>>4291243
So is Deep Springs. You are the one who said you wanted to go there. Bump. I replied to your email.
I have other prompts if you want but they want wacky. Like think reactionary but disguised by humor so it doesn't seem so knuckle-draggy.