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| "Illustration to Book of Job" by William Blake (1757-1827) |
Might the same claim be made bout the ideas we are exposed to?
To what extent might it be argued that if you read violent books, you are likely to become inured to the impact of violence? If you read stories told by characters who have a dark worldview, are you likely to find your worldview darkening as well? If you read stories in which "loose morals" are described, how likely is it that your morals will be loosened? On the other hand, if you read stories that illustrate the value of a particular set of morals, are you more likely to see the value of deploying those morals in your own life?
I must agree that what we read has a strong effect on the life we pursue. - What we read is simply an important part of our total environment. How we react to a new situation very much depends on the earlier environment and how we reacted then. We may have learned from the environment, (reading) and will correct a mistake in the new situation, or previously we may have had a good outcome, and that will reinforce our judgment in the new situation. What we read can definitely shape our future. Reading choices today can be overwhelming. We need to choose and use our reading time carefully. Some good current stories do exist, but there are also timeless, great books, in the western tradition, that not only pull one into the action, but from which we learn great truths about the story telling animal.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible to see the point of view in a story so strong you feel like as if you are that person. Yet, even though you feel one with that story it is after all just a story after all. The power of words can influence many ideas. So I understand how the ideas and actions in the story can impact how you feel and react outside of it. Although you read it and you process it through your head it is only natural to want to think like the main character or one of the characters. You already know how that character feels so it’s easier to get into the writing. With that ability it helps you get into the story more and get the feel of how everyone feels. The certain books you read will give you that experience but once that book is over it is your choice to decide to have another one or keep reliving it.
ReplyDelete-Sutida Hanratanagorn
It is true that we are the books we read, but I believe we are only that way temporarily while the reading and absorption of the story is occurring. I know on many occasions when one of my favorite characters is killed I shed a few tears; this is a reflection of the stories we read consuming us. Also, on another occasion I read a book that included a very dark character, and at some points in the novel I found myself rooting for him. I would never choose the side of someone like this character in real life though. While reading a novel with “loose morals” your morals may temporarily be loosened as you’re reading, but more than likely when you lay the book down and continue on with your life it won’t have all that much effect on you. I do agree that reading about a particular set of morals can open your eyes to the possibilities those ideas provide, and this can be influential.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we are the books we read, for in my experiences, emotional and mental events are twice as powerful as physical ones. Reading a book is meant to be an escape through mental means. Just as my mother has told me in the past, I believe this applies in this situation as well, "If you surround yourself with good company, good is what you will be. But if you surround yourself with crooks, robbers, and those with evil intent, you will do the same."
ReplyDeleteWhen people read, they are submersing their minds in whatever is happening, and the human mind is like a white sponge. If someone submerses that sponge in blue water for a long enough period of time, that sponge will be stained blue. Therefor, if one submerses their mind in violent readings, violent they may well become. Not to say that it is permanent. Which is why it is good to read all different kinds of things from violence to romance. If that sponge is then soaked in red, it doesn't turn red, it turn purple. Just as the mind would mix all of this information into the complex person reading the stories.
-Maranda Clymer
I completely agree that we tend to become the books we read. I have always loved reading, and have read tons of different books. Just like Gottschall argues, we get drawn into the story before we even realize it has happened, and we can't put it down. I've experienced this phenomenon many times.
ReplyDeleteHere's my thoughts on how stories influence us. Let's think about friendships. When we hang around different types of people, we tend to pick up characteristics from that group. We become the people we hang out with, often without even realizing it. Books have, at times, been compared to friends. The more time we spend with them, the more we come to identify with them and adopt their characteristics (or the characteristics of the characters in them). Especially if we immerse ourselves in one genre of books, we get very used to that world and what goes on there. When we get used to what we "see," particularly with regard to violence and inappropriate conduct, we can become calloused to it. As we become calloused, it doesn't bother us as much, and we can start behaving in the ways condoned by the books we read. If the books promote joy and good morals, they can shape us in that way. And that certainly works the other way around. Books, and stories in general, are powerful tools. They shape us far more than we realize.
--Brittany Jolly