Discussion Highlights: Emotional Responses: Crying

Last Week’s Discussion:
Emotional Responses: Crying

So, I’m not really a crier when it comes to books or really movies even. It’s just really hard for fictional stories to tug on my emotional heartstrings and only one book has ever managed to do so. So, I wonder. Is this quite common? Or am I just extremely weird and dark? :p Let’s ask the discussioners, shall we?

Tanja said:

“Each reader processes information differently. I cry at “hello”.”

Shanah said:

“I’m an overly emotional person in general so it doesn’t take much to make me cry. If the characters are written well enough then it’s even easier. Between Shades of Gray made me cry 5 or more times!  But a lot of people have the ability to disassociate their emotions because they know it’s fiction so you aren’t alone!”

Cassiopeia’s Moon said:

“Just thought about a thing: I haven’t cried directly for someones death, but in all of the books it has been for the despair the main character feels. And not a lot of books manages to deliver that satisfactory.”

Adrienne said:

“I cry a lot during TV and movies. With books, I will cry occasionally if its a really sad scene. The Fault in Our Stars, A Monster Calls, and Eleanor have made me cry. I know its fiction, but its for entertainment and meant to strike our emotions.”

Jessica said:

“Books don’t usually get me to cry. It’s movies / TV with a killer song combo that get me. Books or scenes only get me if I’m listening to a haunting piece of music at the same time.”

Michaela said:

“I always cry at books. I have a habit of getting way to attached to characters and for me the best books are usually the ones that can make me cry.”

Sophie said:

“I laugh, I cry, I rant, I…well you get it. Of course I have to walk in the character’s shoes to do it. If the hero(s) are not really well written or keep everyone at arm’s lenght then I can’t connect with them. I can’t feel their emotions.”

Adam said:

“In some ways I find it cathartic, like a kind of tension being released, so I tend to think that while it has to be the right story, there’s also an element of where/how you are in the moment. It may be that you don’t cry because you don’t need to?”

Sophie Li said:

“I don’t cry too often when I read. It definitely takes more than someone dying or getting hurt to make me cry. It’s more about whether I feel like I can relate to the character as you mentioned. Depressing books and scenes do not make me cry, they are just depressing. It’s more the scenes that show a character’s vulnerability. “

Wow! So many readers had something to say about crying when reading and while some people cry, most people seem not to. At least, not for books. It would seem that just the words and our imaginations aren’t enough to pull those emotional heartstrings that produce tears, but a lot of that could be chocked up to the writer and their ability. So, while some of us seem heartless, maybe we just haven’t found the right book yet. 😉

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Check out this week’s discussion on Thursday at 10am EST:
Series In-Process vs Complete