Kendall Walton sparks a dilemma that the emotions a reader or view ‘experiences’ in literature are merely quasi-emotions, due to his claim that the individual is merely participating in an act of make-belief. The expression exerted in his concept is through ‘Charles and the green slime’, or the emotional sensation felt towards a certain character in fiction. These emotional occurrences are not real, yet the sensation felt are merely the individual reacting appropriately to the authors intended desires. Whereas Catherine Wilson rejects Walton’s claim and says otherwise, asserting that the emotions we feel from literature or movies are genuine. I will be arguing against Walton’s perspective, that the emotions generate because of literature or …show more content…
The acts of make-belief are derived from the individual’s reaction with fictional truths; through what they distinguish or react too in their perception of reality. Walton emphasizes this concept in children making mud-pie’s, and how they perceive dirt as factual pies. Walton equates this is the situation with Charles. the fear Charles undergoes is a personal form of make-belief when he perceives the slime to be an immediate threat, and in doing believing so, he actively participates in make-belief through all his reactions. Additionally, Walton argues that Charles finds enjoyment in the situation, likewise to a child participating in the acts of make-believing ‘fear’. For there is an underlying fulfillment of enjoyment when they are playing a game of make-belief monsters with their parent; for that child fulfills their appropriate position by reacting in quasi-fear to entertain the situation, regardless in being free from any real dangers. Walton’s argument is that Charles mental state of fear during the movie, is equivalent to the child playing make belief with their parents. Furthermore, the movie purposely asserts a role for their viewers to fulfill, such as the motivation for the reaction of …show more content…
Such as its demonstration in Wilson Elegy argument, For the reader has no physical connection to the situation, yet the authors connection in the text produces a particular emotion in the reader. For the author’s emotional input in the text gives the reader insight to their mental state, additionally gives a commonality to those that have experienced the same situation. Furthermore, the significance in Charles’ ‘experience’ with the Green slime is emblematic to his encounter with fear through Wilsons argued Situational report. the experience in viewing the green slime gives the Charles insight to what it would be like to encounter the monster. Whereas Walton’s concept of make-belief is mistaken in referring to the emotions generated from literature as ‘quasi’, because make-belief gives the individual the opportunity to openly engage with peculiar situations. Furthermore, examples of make-belief prepare the individual for the reality of a situation, examples such as training drills for cops, military or sports team. They’re make belief situations derived from the real examples of what to expect once they encounter the real situation itself. Which further’s Wilsons situational report argument for it allows individual’s gain insight or a new perspective in how to respond