Emotional Investment in AP English Literature

Definition

Emotional investment refers to an individual's personal connection and attachment towards characters, themes, or events within a literary work. It reflects how deeply one cares about what happens in the story.

Related terms

Empathy:

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, including fictional characters in literature.

Suspension of Disbelief: Suspension of disbelief refers to temporarily setting aside one's skepticism or critical judgment to fully engage with and believe in the events or circumstances presented in a work of fiction.

Catharsis:

Catharsis is an emotional release or purging that occurs when experiencing strong emotions while reading or watching a dramatic work.