“All literature shows us the power of emotion. It’s emotion, not reason, that motivates characters in literature.” - Duff Brenna. This quote is describing the actions taken by characters in literature, meaning, all characters are driven by their emotions during key parts of the work of literature, not by critical thinking or reason. I agree with this statement because of the many works of literature supporting it. Two of these are “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles and “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller.
In “A Separate Peace” the main character Gene is driven by his ever varying emotions through the entire novel, the substance of the work is told in flashback which show the actions, caused by his emotions. In the opening of the book shows Gene sees objects that bring him to feel disturbed and distressed, this foreshadows events that are key turning points and conflicts which are caused by Gene later in the story. One of those key conflict points in the story is when Gene was battling the emotion of jealousy towards his friend, which then lead him to, without thinking, shake the branch of a tree he and his friend are standing on, causing his friend to fall. The action was done without Gene thinking of what would happen in the long run for his friend, which shows he acted only from emotion, and without reason. After, for a moment, when Gene described his friend’s fall as “hitting the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud” show he realizes what he is done, and feels remorse for it, though only for a moment. Gene later attempts to explain his action to the victim of it, and others in the story as done as an impulse only, that he didn’t mean it, and he wasn’t thinking. Gene’s description, on it’s own, explains and proves the quote said by Duff Brenna.
In the Crucible, all of the main characters are fueled by emotion. The “witches” are following Abigail Williams, who started her antics to try and get with of the wife of John Proctor, whom she had an affair with. The other girls accused more people of witchcraft in order to cause confusion and to condemn women they did not like and had personal vendettas with. The characterization is important in this story is important because it shows how each one of the “witches” and Abigail’s followers are so convinced of being self-righteous they continue to accuse other innocent people in attempt to vindicate themselves. At the end of the play John Proctor, then accused as a witch, refuses to confess, in order to keep his pride. He condemns himself by stating “he sees no light from God” and ”God is dead.” They all act under the influence of their emotions of fear, pride, jealousy, and greed; many of the characters die because of occurrences that are provoked by these emotions. Their actions confirm the quote “All literature shows us the power of emotion. It is emotion, not reason, that motivates characters in literature.”
The actions of Gene, John Proctor and many other characters that lead to the climax and conflicts of the story are directed by their emotions. Clearly these two works show, characters are fueled by thier emotions. Many actions done in works of literature are not conducted with critical thinking, they are done rashly with just the influence of how the character is feeling at the very moment. This is condensed in the quote “All literature shows us the power of emotion. It is emotion, not reason, that motivates characters in literature.” From seeing all of these examples the support from the very works of literature the quote is describing it is easy to conclude, characters act on emotion, not reason.
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