Some people define emotional literacy as the author’s ability to successfully communicate how he feels.  While I do not disagree with this definition, I think there is more to ‘emotional literacy’ than the author’s perspective.

The reader’s reaction to a passage has just as much to do with emotional literacy as the writer’s intention.  Everyone draws upon their own experiences or opinions in order to relate to a certain text.  Depending on which character’s point of view the reader is identifying with might change how the passage made the reader feel.

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to emotional literacy.  A passage might make one reader feel excited, all the while making another reader feel nervous.  This is, in part, what makes the interpretation of works interesting. 

As long as ‘emotional literacy’ occurs, in the sense that the audience walks away feeling something after reading a text, then the work has been successful.  This idea does not just relate to fiction books, although their emotional elements may be more pronounced than in other genres.  Often, non-fiction books intend to have the reader become inspired, passionate, or well-informed about a topic.

Emotional Literacy, while not a requirement for a text, certainly is an element from keeping the passage from becoming bland, boring, and forgettable.  Any time the reader is able to connect to a book, whether it be by relating to situations within the text or feeling compassion toward the characters, the reader will undoubtedly walk away with some sort of attachment to the copy. 

*Please look over the survey, to your right!  Do any of the selected passages make you feel emotionally connected?*