Formerly reading used to be one of the principal ways to divert oneself. Rapid technological development and the growing entertainment industry may have changed the way people approach their leisure. The decline of reading is an ongoing phenomenon that results from profound changes in how investing one’s time is viewed. In the era of productivity, contemporary societies struggle with categorizing reading as a profitable activity unless it is a self-help book. However, fiction could be no less helpful with personal or professional life, although in more subtle ways. In some cases, reading can be a way to gain a better understanding of the world around as well as the internal one.
In her TEDx Talk, poet and author Beth Ann Fennelly presents several ideas defending the importance of fiction in the lives of those who are not connected to it professionally. Fennelly’s position seems to revolve around the connection between reading and empathy. The presenter states, “what the emerging field of literary neuroscience is beginning to prove is that reading literature makes us more empathetic or sympathetic, or frustrated” (Fennelly). From this standpoint, the activity forces a person, even if for a short amount of time, to perceive the world from a different perspective, undergo experiences, and be exposed to points of view that otherwise would be inaccessible. This ability to allow a person to live through a character, although not exclusive to reading, seems to be one of its primary advantages.
The alliance between literature and empathy could be used as a mirror enabling individuals, and societies, as a result, to recognize their shortcomings. The function of denouncement found in fiction can be expressed not only in satire but have an elusive presence in other genres. Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” is a provocative text, pushing a reader to question the unconditional compliance to traditions. Furthermore, Jackson demonstrates the danger of conformity, “although the villagers had forgotten the ritual and lost the original black box, they still remembered to use stones” (230). The image of lapidation, in my opinion, is the one that stays with a reader, as the implied despair that Tessie’s family undergoes at this moment corroborates the message that “The Lottery” carries. Therefore, the emotional impact of a story, from my perspective, is what renders it effective.
Even though I cannot relate the short story to my circumstances, this year may seem like the one when the issue of conformity and unquestioning compliance became, to a degree, more evident. The fact that the short story was written approximately seventy years ago and its lessons remain pertinent could demonstrate their inherency and universality. The ideas expressed in Fennelly’s TEDx Talk inspire hope that reading fiction, particularly the stories that impact readers to the extent of “The Lottery,” can enhance empathy.
The decrease in the number of people reading and the perception of the activity as trivial is an issue the negative effect of which may be not apparent. Pragmatism and the extensive appreciation for more obviously lucrative fields could push literature closer to extinction. Nonetheless, the ideas presented in the TEDx Talk demonstrate that reading habits can, to a degree, shape a society, influencing a number of factors that characterize it. Compassion, the level of xenophobia, and the ability to appreciate the esthetic facet of art are potentially under the impact of reading habits. The emergence of new subfields concerning fiction indicates that fascination with it is recoverable.
Works Cited
Fennelly, Beth Ann. “What’s the Use of Reading? Literature and Empathy.” TED, 2020, Web.
Shirley, Jackson. The Lottery and Other Stories. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1988.