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| "The Wreck of a Transport Ship" (c. 1810) by William Turner |
And whether you've found yourself transported by story or not, you may want to weigh in on this question: What personal characteristics differentiate the kind of person who is easily transported by story from the person who is not? In other words, what else could you probably guess would be true of each kind of person?
Like Gottschall, I believe that human beings "just can't resist the gravity of alternative worlds." However, I also believe that an individual's personality and experiences largely impact the susceptibility of his or her mind to be entirely overtaken by these "alternative worlds." For example, a war veteran is much more likely to become immersed in a story filled with gun fire and combat boots than an individual who has never been touched by the trauma of battle. In this way, individuals who can relate to the stories they intake are more likely to become utterly lost in their text.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure of that, Leah. When I know a lot about something, I am likely to be more critical of the imperfections in a depiction. I don't know much about the trauma of battle, for instance, so I am more likely to believe what I read about it. On the other hand, I played football when I was in high school, so I am very critical of flawed depictions of football games in movies.
DeleteI agree and especially like your last sentence.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Leah in that human beings "just can't resist the gravity of alternate worlds." I would add that those who get easily lost in a story, especially if read in a book as opposed to a digital media, are generally able to focus for longer amounts of time and/or with more intensity. These people are also generally more diverse in their imaginative prowess and ability at "free-thinking," however, there are always exceptions to the rule.
ReplyDelete-Dylan West
As for personal experience I have had this happen to me many times, where I start reading and then zone out for hours at a time. I think it is truly amazing how books can do this so easily. I also think that everyone can have this happen to them no matter their personality or way of thinking, one would just have to find the right book. As the others have said before me, and it is something I completely agree with, it is not a matter of how easily a book can take you away, you just have to look at yourself and come to terms with how much you can relate with what you are reading. If someone is reading a book where they have to force themselves to finish each chapter, chances are they are not going to become lost in it.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely been transported into the stories that I have read. I have read large variety of science fiction and fantasy books, so there are many to choose from. One book series in particular is the Black Jewels Trilogy which included Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness. The Black Jewels Trilogy is one of my all-time favorite series. The books are filled with rich details regarding the particular slave status of Daemon Sadi and Luciver Yaslana, as well as their relationships with Saetan Daemon Sadiablo, their father, and several other main protagonists. The books included a darker side of magic and seduction as well as the brighter side of life with loving friends and family.
ReplyDeleteThe kind of personal characteristics that would differentiate between those who are transported into a particular story and those who are not would be, in my opinion, who is more of a dreamer. If you are a realist and you try to start reading the Black Jewels Trilogy without allowing yourself to dream as you read it, to dream that you are there with the characters as they progress to the end, it does not seem likely that you will enjoy it. The series itself is only going to be interesting enough to be transported into if you allow yourself to see as the characters see, to feel things how they feel, to feel the anger and sadness when you feel the betrayal that the characters themselves feel. You have to allow the story to be your focus at that time to really be transported into it.
You could probably guess whether or not a particular person is of the same mindset as you are by knowing whether or not they are a dreamer and by the books they read. You may very well be able to find that you both agree with the same things or not, just by knowing what they read and if they are dreamers that are transported into the stories they read.
It may be a bit Cliché now, but I do have to agree with Leah Blackburn. We are going to gravitate towards stories that have a connection to us and the things we have experienced. In that manner, we are all dreamers. We just have different dreams that we look at. I personally prefer science fiction, fantasy, manga, and manhwa. Other individuals, such as my grandmother, prefer mystery or romance over my particular likes. It is the same for everyone.
-Nathaniel Starry
I have experienced this "transporting" before, and with a rather well known book as well. It was the entirety of the Inheritance series written by Christopher Paolini. Every time I set the book down I felt like the world around me was false or that I should be watching the things I see in my mind on the big screen. A trait I would think to determine if a person is transported by story would be their aspirations for themselves. People read books without being transported and watch movies that do the work for them. They also imagine and take aspects from everyday life to help narrow down what they want for themselves and who they want to be. The trait required, I suppose, is the need for betterment, if not of their life then themselves. Everyone dislikes something about them self or their situation.
ReplyDelete-Cheyenne Cooley
I have experienced being transported to another place through literature many times. Most recently to the world of Jane Austen in Laurie Viera Rigler's "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict". I would consider myself an imaginative and emotionally driven person. I think both of these traits can lead people to get swept away by a story easily. I have noticed that my husband, a realistic, logic driven type can read the same book as me and not become absorbed in it. In fact, since he does not get transported into the land of the story, he tends to point out flaws in the plot that I never would have noticed. I agree with the previous statement that readers are more likely to be transported by stories that they can identify with. I am a romantic. If a book has a well developed romance then I will most likely be transported into the story.
ReplyDelete-Abigail Savage