Even though my friend Caroline is an avid reader and enjoys classics (she suggested our book club read Great Expectations last year), she avoids Jane Austen novels. They feel like work to her.
Do you struggle with Jane Austen as well? I came across an interesting story last month that might persuade you to pick up Pride and Prejudice.
The New World of Literary Neuroscience
NPR featured a story on the work of Natalie Phillips, a professor of 18th century English literature at Michigan State University. Ms. Phillips studies cognitive approaches to narrative; more specifically, she’s looking at how Enlightenment ideas shaped 18th century literature, and if literature in turn influenced theories about cognition.
Sounds deep, doesn’t it? Basically, Phillips wants to know more about how our brains work while we concentrate, and if 18th century authors, like Jane Austen, incorporated scientific theory about cognition into their writing. For example, Phillips has hypothesized that Austen made Elizabeth Bennett, the heroine of Pride and Prejudice, bright, but also very distractable, based on theories about cognition at the time.
To further explore the link between cognition and literature, Phillips ran a study to see how people’s brains behaved while reading Austen. She asked her participants to read while lying in an MRI machine. Sometimes subjects were directed to skim, and at other times they were asked to read analytically. Researchers monitored several things during the trials, including:
- brain activity
- eye movement across the page
- breathing
- heart rate
The Good News for Word Nerds
Why did I share this? Because it gives word nerds everywhere more ammo for defending our bookish habits. Not only does reading improve our vocabulary, but it also may be stimulating our minds in unexpected ways. I can’t wait to learn more about how reading affects our cognitive abilities!
I also won’t feel guilty anymore about getting lost in a story when I should be doing a comparatively menial chore. I’m generating important brain waves! (Of course, I need to remember this when my children tune me out to pour over the pages of their latest book.)
And finally, for readers like Caroline who struggle with Austen, perhaps now you’ll think that the effort might be worth it and give P & P another try.
How do you feel about Jane Austen’s work? Can you share any other research about how reading affects the brain?
Will you be traveling for Thanksgiving? Hopping in a car or van with several other people to spend hours together in a confined space? If so, are you anticipating some conflict?
