Empathy

“Reading Fiction ‘Improves Empathy’ Study Finds,” an article by Alison Flood that was published by www.thegaurdian.com claims that Young Adult Fiction helps teenagers to empathize. Alison Flood supports this idea by explaining how teens in a study were found to have associated themselves with the social groups of the books they read- in this case Harry Potter and Twilight. She continues to say that fiction provides the same types of satisfactions as associations with real-life groups. She concludes the article with the idea that the funding of these books should not be cut because in them teens are not limited to an outer view of others; in them they can read about what characters are thinking and feeling.

In order to express her ideas, Alison Flood includes many craft moves. She cites scientific studies on the matter in order to convince us of the verity of her claim. She also makes the decision not to address the counterclaim- she avoids the opposing claim to her article. Alison Flood additionally references books with strong empathetic results such as Harry Potter and Twilight. She goes on to quote Keith Oatley (a professor of human development) on his opinions about the subject in order to back up her opinion. Finally, she includes many loaded words in her article such as “empirical, interpersonal, empathy, sociality, satisfaction, bliss, belonging, absorption, and identification” that successfully back up her point.

I agree with Alison Flood that reading Young Adult fiction helps teens to empathize. Most fiction focuses in some way on the social interactions of its characters. In this we (teens) are able to understand character’s actions and reflect upon them in our own lives. A line that stood out to me was,” We usually take the exterior view of others, but that’s too limited.” It rings so true! In real life we don’t get a pass into other people’s minds… but in fiction we can read about similar situations and understand their point of view and thus empathize with the characters. We can then use these tools of empathy in real-life social situations.