02-12-2023, 09:33 AM | #61 |
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I just love this forum. I never realized before (duh) that my favorite fiction books TAUGHT me something, either about human nature or history or other worlds or solving puzzles or whatever. I always assumed (again, duh) that my "connection" to a book had to do with either the subject matter or the quality of the writing, and that these were objective criteria that are easily discernable and communicated. The idea that an emotional connection with the characters can sometimes be more important than my own priorities was there in the back of my head, but I dismissed it when looking at reviews for my next "good book" to read. Now I am much clearer about what I want from fiction, and I have this forum and its members to thank.
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02-12-2023, 12:12 PM | #62 | |||
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When I read suspense/mystery, my emotional connection is to the plot--I want to see justice served and the wrongs righted, at least most of the time. I want a moral sensibility, even if morality doesn't triumph. |
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02-12-2023, 12:56 PM | #63 |
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I agree that fiction can be a better vehicle for ideas than non-fiction, but disagree that non-fiction is inherently a "simple recitation of facts".
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02-12-2023, 03:13 PM | #64 | |
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No plot, however exciting or clever, makes up for boring/annoying characters for me. |
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02-12-2023, 04:26 PM | #65 | |
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02-12-2023, 04:34 PM | #66 |
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02-12-2023, 04:50 PM | #67 | |
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So like "connecting," I suspect we all might have different notions about what "caring about characters" entails. You, for instance, seem to use "care about" in a way that I would use "find interesting." |
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02-12-2023, 04:58 PM | #68 |
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That's for sure. And I certainly don't care about fictional characters the way I care about real people close to me or even pets. But I'd lie if I said I only felt a remote, intellectual interest in them. I've been sad or angry about the fate of some fictional characters. I've been fervently hoping a character would succeed in their fictional aim. Again, not the way I would feel about real people, but it's definitely an emotional reaction. The more I liked the book, the longer the feeling stays with me. With some books, I forget it quickly; with others, I can remember the way I felt for years or even decades.
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02-12-2023, 05:50 PM | #69 |
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I phrased that badly. I enjoy both fiction and nonfiction. However, I prefer my nonfiction to stick to verifiable facts. I dislike nonfiction that speculates about a person's state of mind or motive or presumed interior dialogue. I dislike nonfiction that reaches conclusions without a firm basis in documented sources. Speculation is what fiction does well. Facts are what nonfiction does well (one hopes). As for those fiction books that are "based on fact," I usually end up doing a ton of research in an attempt to separate fact from fiction in my head, and end up driving myself crazy.
Last edited by icallaci; 02-12-2023 at 11:07 PM. |
02-12-2023, 09:29 PM | #70 | |
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I accept that recognising a character as likeable is not the same as caring whether they live or die in the book. But what about excitement? Do you merely recognise that the book might raise feelings of excitement in some people, or do you feel the excitement as a book reaches its climax? If the latter then you are responding emotionally to the story. In which case we're talking about different levels of emotional involvement rather than none ... which is what I expected really. Most of this sort of stuff is a spectrum rather than on vs off. |
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02-12-2023, 10:57 PM | #71 | |
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But I don't think I've ever said that reading a book is a completely emotionless experience for me. I've said that I don't really develop an emotional attachment to fictional characters. "Caring about characters" is where I jumped in. Last edited by DiapDealer; 02-12-2023 at 11:02 PM. |
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02-12-2023, 11:30 PM | #72 | |
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02-12-2023, 11:35 PM | #73 | |
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I think this is why I regard The Count of Monte Cristo as a remarkable book. I've read it 3 times and each time I was gripped, despite obviously knowing exactly how everything panned out after the first read. To do that over 1200+ pages is quite the achievement, imo |
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02-13-2023, 08:59 AM | #74 | |
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02-13-2023, 09:22 AM | #75 | |
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It’s a pity that the quality of what’s out there isn’t better, because I agree that fiction is a good entry to a largely unknown topic; it can pique your interest and give an accessible overview and context for further exploration. |
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