After watching chapters eight through to eleven of Lynn Hunt’s “The Genesis of Human Rights” I must admit that I am convinced of Hunts theory that novels and the written word build empathy within individuals. Of course, it takes more than just novels to develop empathy including being raised by loving individuals who teach you these important concepts, however novels, in my belief, do play an important role. According to Hunt, the rise of the epistolary novel was a crucial ingredient in the growing prominence of Human Rights and the act of novel reading helped individuals create new kinds of feelings. These feelings included a recognition of shared psychological and social experiences and this was then translated into the new cultural and social movements of Human Rights. I also found it interesting that the well-known novel “Pamela” written by Samuel Richardson “exploded” through literary circles at the same time chronologically as the birth of Human Rights.
Lynn Hunt further stated that in addition to empathy, a new concern for the human body immerged and with this a new framework for interpreting the pains that the body feels. Most importantly, I think, in regard to why I believe that the written word was a leading factor in the birth of empathy and therefore the prominence of human rights was how characters were portrayed. Lynn Hunt states that novels began to showcase how all people are fundamentally similar due to their inner feelings. This showcased an individual’s desire for autonomy and therefore reading novels created a sense of equality. More and more people began to be able to read, no matter their status and, characters in novels were relatable, normal individuals.
To conclude, Lynn Hunt’s theory has definitely convinced me that novels aroused the feeling of empathy in individuals. I could not even begin to list the number of books I have read that have made me cry, left me hanging on each word, and left me speechless and in need for personal reflection. Reading stories allows you to enter a completely different world of characters and when these made up beings hurt, weirdly enough I find it very upsetting and a feeling of unease settles over me. Of course, novels and stories have a huge impact on a person’s feelings and personal development and storytelling would most definitely lead to greater levels of empathy for other people in similar situations.