Emotion-Driven Criticism

Emotion-Driven Criticism

Presented by Anastasiia Babakhanova

Index

Introduction

Comparison with other criticisms

How it can be applied

More about the inventor

References

Introduction

+ INFO

Emotion-Driven Criticism (EDC) is a straightforward approach that focuses on the emotional impact of a literary work, film, or artwork on the audience. Instead of analyzing structure, historical context, or deeper themes, this method evaluates how a work makes people feel and why. It prioritizes raw emotional reactions and how they shape interpretation.

Comparison with other criticisms

Emotion-Driven Criticism differs significantly from Feminist. Feminist Criticism, as explored in FemiLISm Now!, focuses on analyzing gender representation, power structures, and the ways in which literature either reinforces or challenges patriarchal norms (Allard et al. 7). Unlike this approach, Emotion-Driven Criticism does not seek to critique gender dynamics but instead prioritizes how a work emotionally affects its audience, regardless of its social or political implications. While Feminist Criticism asks how literature represents and influences gender roles, Emotion-Driven Criticism asks how literature makes people feel and why those emotions are evoked.

Reader-Response Criticism, as discussed in Using Reader-Response Theory to Study Poetry About the Holocaust, is deeply invested in the reader’s personal background and how that shapes their interpretation of a work (Totten 8). This approach argues that meaning is not fixed in the text but is co-created by the reader’s experiences, cultural background, and emotional engagement. Emotion-Driven Criticism, however, moves beyond the subjectivity of personal background and instead seeks to understand the universal emotional response to a work. While both approaches value emotional engagement, Reader-Response Criticism focuses on how individual perspectives shape meaning, whereas Emotion-Driven Criticism examines the techniques that make a work evoke strong emotions in a broad audience.

Postcolonial Criticism, as analyzed in The Author, the Text, and the (Post)Critic, examines how literature interacts with colonial histories, cultural identity, and oppression (Habed 499). This approach is deeply political and often seeks to uncover power imbalances in narratives, questioning how literature reinforces or resists colonial ideologies. Emotion-Driven Criticism, on the other hand, does not engage with historical power structures but instead focuses on how storytelling choices—such as character development, tone, and imagery—affect emotions like joy, fear, sadness, or nostalgia. While Postcolonial Criticism looks at a text’s role in historical discourse, Emotion-Driven Criticism is more concerned with its immediate emotional impact on an audience.

Application to Literature, Art & Film

Application to Literature (click here for answers) In literature, Emotion-Driven Criticism examines how a novel, short story, or poem affects readers on an emotional level and what techniques contribute to that effect. This includes: Character relationships and empathy – How do the relationships between characters, such as in Of Mice and Men, create sorrow or frustration? Narrative tension and suspense – Why does Frankenstein provoke fear and sympathy for the monster simultaneously? Lyrical language and mood – How do poetic elements in The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe create an eerie, melancholic feeling?

Application to Art (click here for answers) In visual art, this criticism evaluates how composition, color, and form evoke specific emotions. Color psychology – How do Van Gogh’s swirling blues and yellows in Starry Night create a sense of loneliness and wonder? Subject matter and emotional resonance – Why does Edvard Munch’s The Scream evoke anxiety and existential dread? Symbolism and mood – How does Picasso’s Guernica elicit horror and grief in response to war?

Application to Film (click here for answers) In film, Emotion-Driven Criticism can analyze: Cinematography and lighting – How do lighting choices in Schindler’s List intensify the film’s tragic and haunting atmosphere? Musical score and sound – How does the Titanic soundtrack enhance the emotional impact of the final scenes? Character arcs and emotional stakes – Why does the audience feel deeply for the characters in The Green Mile despite knowing the inevitable tragedy?

About the inventor

About me

My name is Anastasiia. I am originally from Ukraine, however Key West has been my home for the last 12 years.

My Hobbies

I love reading and getting lost in different stories. Crime shows are my favorite—I enjoy solving the mysteries as I watch. But most of all, I love spending time with my daughter.

My Goals

I am working toward a bachelor's degree in nursing and hope to use it to help others one day.

Reason for creating a criticism

I created Emotion-Driven Criticism because, at the core of every book, film, or artwork that has ever stayed with me, it wasn’t just the themes, the structure, or the historical context that mattered—it was how it made me feel..

Questions that Emotion-Driven Criticism can answer

What specific emotions does this work evoke in its audience, and what artistic or literary techniques contribute to that emotional impact? How do different audiences emotionally respond to the same work, and what does that reveal about the universality or subjectivity of its emotional power?

Works Cited

• Allard, Danielle, et al. "FemiLISm Now!: Identifying and Exploring Feminist Theories and Methods in CAIS/ACSI and ASIS&T Conference Proceedings, 1993-2021." EBSCO, 2021.

• Habed, Adriano. "The Author, the Text, and the (Post)Critic: Notes on the Encounter Between Postcritique and Postcolonial Criticism." EBSCO, 2021.

• Totten, Samuel. "Using Reader-Response Theory to Study Poetry About the Holocaust." Social Studies, Jan./Feb. 1998.

Web links

Danielle Allard

Adriano Habed

Samuel Totten

Application to Art 1. Color psychology – Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh The blue and yellow colors in Starry Night look like they are moving. The sky looks wild, but the town below is calm. This shows both peace and loneliness. The painting feels full of emotion. 2. Subject matter and emotional resonance – The Scream by Edvard Munch The person in The Scream looks very scared. The strange colors and shapes make us feel nervous too. It’s like we can feel the fear, not just see it. It shows deep feelings of worry and panic. 3. Symbolism and mood – Guernica by Pablo Picasso Guernica shows the pain of war. The shapes are broken, and the people look like they are in pain. There is no color, which makes it feel even sadder. The animals and light bulb have meaning too. The painting makes us feel horror and sadness. ________________________________________

Application to Film 1. Cinematography and lighting – Schindler’s List The film is in black and white. It makes the story feel more serious and real. One girl’s red coat stands out, which makes the scene very emotional. The lighting and shadows add to the sadness and fear. 2. Musical score and sound – Titanic The music in Titanic is very emotional. The song “My Heart Will Go On” plays during the sad parts. It makes the scenes even more powerful. The music helps us feel the pain of the people on the ship. 3. Character arcs and emotional stakes – The Green Mile Even though we know John Coffey will die, we still care about him. He is kind and gentle. The guards, especially Paul, feel sad about what they must do. This makes us feel deeply for everyone in the story.

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Application to Literature 1. Character relationships and empathy – Of Mice and Men George and Lennie are close friends. George takes care of Lennie, who has a good heart but can hurt others by accident. This makes readers feel both sad and frustrated. In the end, George has to make a very hard choice. This makes us think about love, mercy, and pain. 2. Narrative tension and suspense – Frankenstein The monster in Frankenstein is scary at first. But when we learn his story, we feel bad for him. He wants love and friendship, but people reject him. This makes us feel both afraid and sad. That mix of feelings makes the story powerful. 3. Lyrical language and mood – The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Poe repeats words and uses rhyme to create a sad and spooky feeling. The word “Nevermore” is said over and over, showing the speaker’s growing madness. The way the poem sounds helps us feel his deep sadness and loss.