Hunt presents a very intriguing notion on how empathy is built. She states that through novel there can be an empathic connection between the character and the reader. Based on my personal experience I can agree with Hunt, there has been many novels that have forced me to feel emotionally connected the main character. Empathy is built by putting yourself in someone else is shoes I believe that novels allow you to do so. Some may disagree and say that this form of empathy isn’t sincere .which is a valid argument, I would counter argue that by saying that a readers connection to a novel is powerful, to say its superficial would be to down play how sensitive humans can be and how powerful novels can be.
Hunts second argument is that novels or epistles are directly connected to the birth of human rights. This is a bold statement and Hunt is aware of this. She justifies her claim by using several novels one being Rousseau’s Julie. She states that the release of novels and even letters are directly connected to the growth of Human Rights. She goes on to say that epistles have built the foundation for human rights and empathy. I am not convinced that novels have a direct connection to Human Rights although there maybe be a vague correlation. Historically its hard to tell when human rights began but I would state that Human Rights and Human Rights movements began way before literacy and novels, to claim that human rights began during the era of novels would be to undermine the human rights movements that have taken place before that era. To conclude I agree that empathy can be felt (built) through novel, but I am not convinced that novels are directly connected to human rights.