Empathy in Literature: Deconstruction of Narrative Empathy in Josip Novakovich’s April Fool’s Day
Empathy in Literature: Deconstruction of Narrative Empathy in Josip Novakovich’s April Fool’s Day

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with the phenomenon of empathy as a means usedby writers, especially in character formation and establishing the relationshipwith the reader. Firstly, the concept of empathy is considered from apsychological point of view (definitions and types), and the term narrativeempathy is introduced. Then follows the analysis of techniques that JosipNovakovich uses to establish narrative empathy between the narrator and thereader regarding his character Ivan Dolinar from the novel April Fool's Day.The author uses explicit and implicit presentation of emotional cues totransfer emotions to the reader. Also, within the text, a two-way line offorming empathy is suggested: the reader is targeted both by the narrator’sside towards the character and by the relationship of the main character withother characters in the novel. The question of empathetic and ethical aspectsof a literary text is also raised, as well as the place of narrative empathy inestablishing a link between empathy and altruism in general.

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