Full metadata
Title
Identifying with Fictional Characters
Description
The study of literature, which has traditionally been the work of the humanities, has seemingly opened up to biology in recent years through an infusion of cognitive science and evolutionary psychology. This essay examines two perspectives on the potential for reader/character identification, one perspective from cognitive/evolutionary studies, and the other from the humanities. Building on both perspectives, I propose my own notion of reader/character identification called immersive identification. I argue that fiction is especially suited to prompt readers to identify with fictional characters in an immersive way. Then, I demonstrate how different cognitive/evolutionary perspectives of fiction can accommodate my notion of immersive identification. Finally, I defend my account of immersive identification against a counterexample.
Date Created
2014-05
Contributors
- Dhein, Kelle James (Author)
- Eder, James (Thesis director)
- Kobes, Bernard (Committee member)
- Cassell, Paul (Committee member)
- Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor)
- Department of English (Contributor)
- School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor)
Topical Subject
Resource Type
Extent
35 pages
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Series
Academic Year 2013-2014
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.22756
Level of coding
minimal
Cataloging Standards
System Created
- 2017-10-30 02:50:57
System Modified
- 2021-08-11 04:09:57
- 3 years 3 months ago
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