Comprehending Character's Emotions: The Role of Event Categories and Causal Connectivity

One of the most significant features of social episodes, and of human existence in general, is emotion (Izard, 1991, 1993; Ortony, Clore, & Collins, 1988). When particular types of events are combined in certain ways, individuals either experience emotions or come to understand that others are experiencing emotions. Just as emotions are central to actual social episodes, it is thought that “literature . . . thrives on the imagined emotions of its characters” (Ortony et al., 1988, p. 3).