In Reading Literature Makes Us Smarter and Nicer by Annie Murphy Paul, the general argument the author makes is that reading allows modern-day readers to gain greater empathy for their surroundings and the people within them. More specifically, Paul argues that deep reading-an immersive experience, distinct from modern-day reading, that one is trained to practice-allows modern-day readers to further develop their empathetic intellect. She writes, “…if we don’t open the door to spiritual reading…we will have cheated [offspring] of an enjoyable, even ecstatic experience…” (Paul 5). In other words, Paul suggests that in an era of calculated studying of written works, one must work to preserve the act of deep reading. In conclusion, Paul’s belief is that deep reading, for its capability of broadening empathy within a reader is an act that must be a continuity in years to come. How deep reading is invigorated within the reader, though, is through literary pieces that teach readers to broaden their empathetic capabilities by showcasing …show more content…
In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Shelley casts light on the experiences of dehumanized outcasts such as the monster in her novel. By depicting the forced isolation, the monster faces as he grieves the loss of his supposed parental figure, empathy is cast upon a critically evil entity within the novel. Furthermore, the author justifies the actions of the monster by its experiences, allowing the reader to simultaneously justify the sympathy they feel towards the creature. “Solitary and abhorred,” the monster paints the character of a perfect outcast in a situation that readers can link themselves to as well (Shelley 93). Overall in the novel, though the author may be inclined to feeling sympathy for the more humanistic beings within the novel, sympathy is drawn towards the cursed and away from, “the accursed Creator.” (Shelley