Why We Read Fiction: Theory of Mind and the Novel

Why We Read Fiction: Theory of Mind and the Novel
ISBN-10
0814210287
ISBN-13
9780814210284
Category
Literary Criticism
Pages
210
Language
English
Published
2006
Publisher
Ohio State University Press
Author
Lisa Zunshine

Description

Why We Read Fiction offers a lucid overview of the most exciting area of research in contemporary cognitive psychology known as "Theory of Mind" and discusses its implications for literary studies. It covers a broad range of fictional narratives, from Richardson s Clarissa, Dostoyevski's Crime and Punishment, and Austen s Pride and Prejudice to Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, Nabokov's Lolita, and Hammett s The Maltese Falcon. Zunshine's surprising new interpretations of well-known literary texts and popular cultural representations constantly prod her readers to rethink their own interest in fictional narrative. Written for a general audience, this study provides a jargon-free introduction to the rapidly growing interdisciplinary field known as cognitive approaches to literature and culture.

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