The Embodied Reader and Experiential Death: Emerging Readership for ‘Brooksian’ Fiction

Sree  Sakthi Prem; P.T.  Selvi Kohila

doi:10.35684/JLCI.2023.9205

Authors

Sree Sakthi Prem Ph.D. Research Scholar Department of English V.O. Chidambaram College, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University
P.T. Selvi Kohila Assistant Professor Department of English V.O. Chidambaram College, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35684/JLCI.2023.9205

Keywords:

Experientiality, Cognitive literary studies, Mortality salience, Death studies, Terror management theory

Abstract

Narratives being the cornerstone of societal development will never go out of fashion. The act of reading will naturally be a part of highly developed cognitive beings. In this paper, the ideal reader is replaced by the embodied reader. The neurocognitive implications of the narratee will be analysed to uncover the fact that reading is quite similar to using a VR headset to play video games. The reason behind a good book being a favourite pastime for many is due to the ability of fiction to be experiential. Understanding fiction as a catalyst for neural engagement and triggering sensory-motor neural movement will be used to understand the true nature of the reading community. In addition to this close-up analysis of the embodied reader, the psychological response of such a reader when coming across a text that highlights the theme of death will also be analysed using the findings of terror management theory (TMT).

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Author Biographies

Sree Sakthi Prem, Ph.D. Research Scholar Department of English V.O. Chidambaram College, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

Mr. Sree Sakthi Prem is a Ph.D. Research Scholar (Department of English V.O. Chidambaram College, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University ), currently based in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. The author is interested in the psychological underpinnings of the readers’ response to literary works. Cognitive literary theory is a familiar area in which the author is experienced. He has published research articles, presented papers, and contributed book chapters on select topics of cognitive literary analysis.

Dr. P.T. Selvi Kohila works as an Assistant Professor at the Department of English, V. O. Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. She is well-versed in the area of Postcolonial literary studies, and she has also guided many Ph.D. scholars. She has authored a few book chapters and many critiques on the postcolonial perspective of literary inquiry.

P.T. Selvi Kohila, Assistant Professor Department of English V.O. Chidambaram College, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

Dr. P.T. Selvi Kohila works as an Assistant Professor at the Department of English, V. O. Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. She is well-versed in the area of Postcolonial literary studies, and she has also guided many Ph.D. scholars. She has authored a few book chapters and many critiques on the postcolonial perspective of literary inquiry.