Cue the Violins: Emotional Triggers in Literature

I cry at movies. All. the. time.

Just before the birth of my second son, I went to a movie with a group of moms and our toddlers: Madagascar 2. It was a free matinée, and you really do get what you pay for, unfortunately. Between old ladies getting punched loudly by cartoon lions and sultry romance scenes involving wet hippos (yeah, it really was that bad), there was a scene that made me cry.

It had to do with the lion and his dad. And it should NOT have made me cry.

(In my defense, I was pregnant.)

Tracing back through my past crying-in-movies behavior, there's one common link that threads these incidents together:

Music.

Usually violins, but it can really be anything that's lyrical, legato, and swelling. My brain knows without me even thinking about it that whatever accompanies the music is going to be touching, tragic, or joyful--and my body reacts.

At various times, I've felt a little angry at how easily I'm manipulated by movie scores. After all, I don't wear mascara for nothing! And I don't want it dripping slowly down my cheeks, defeating its whole purpose.

But I really can't help it. Since I was a child, I've been watching movies--lots of movies. And they all use the same tactics to manipulate (or if you'd rather, evoke) emotion. So it makes perfect sense that, just like Pavlov's salivating dogs, I'll cry every time I hear the swelling, power ballad whistle.

But it got me wondering... can the same effect be achieved in literature? Not that I want to go around making people cry for nothing! But emotions trigger memory recall, and if you want your readers to remember the story you're telling them (and the point, because every story has a point), then it's worth thinking about emotional triggers.

So what sets the stage for an emotional connection between a reader and your characters?
Here's what I've come up with based on my reading. Add your insights to my list in the comments.

Setting the Stage for Emotional Triggers


-signs of stress, like hearts pounding, tongues swelling??, stomachs fluttering


-prolonged longing finally actualized (the back-and-forth couple realizes at last that they're perfect for each other, e.g. Twilight, Pride and Prejudice)


-threatening death and then letting a conflicted character's decision to do the right thing save the day (mouthful, e.g. Harry Potter a million times over)


-"Please Mia, don't make me write a song." (from IF I STAY by Gayle Forman) aka inside joke made tragic


-"You love me. Real or not real?" 
I tell him, "Real." (from MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins) aka tearing the reader's heart out with tender manifestations of vulnerability

Now you know what makes me cry. What triggers your sob reflex?

IF I STAY by Gayle Forman: My review

Wow.

It was a random tweet that sent me seeking out IF I STAY at my local amazon.com. If somebody had presented me with this book last week and told me, "You will cry at the end of every other scene," I would have raised a quizzical brow. No book could sustain that kind of emotion without sending readers off clamoring for a break.

It was masterfully done.

From the very first chapter, I was disturbed (and I can't recommend this book to anyone under sixteen, on principle--I wouldn't recommend a great R-rated movie to such a tender age-group either). But the way this book disturbed me was not grotesque and showy. It was by realism and raw emotion.

"Please, Mia. Don't make me write a song," was only one line that brought the torrential tears. But the poignant passages are interspersed with flashbacks on (mostly) happier times. This was enough comic relief and character development to keep me reading nonstop. Since there are no chapters, per se, there's no good stopping place. If you pick up this book, plan on reading for several hours. :-)

But there is a feeling of chapters with the one-two motion of present-tense action and thought, then past-tense stories and memories. Now-flashback-now-flashback-now is the way it goes. You'd think it would be distracting, but it flows smoothly. This is the first book I've read that utilizes first-person present-tense (I know, I know, where have I been, right?), so it was distracting to me for the first few pages. But the story and the characters quickly eclipse any thought of the format.

Several times, I paused to think how much I loved a certain character. They are all too bizarre to be fiction. They are real people. It makes you mourn those who pass on, and grieve with those who remain. This is how every fifth paragraph brings you to tears. You've been warned.

I'm not the first to say--and I surely won't be the last--THIS STORY IS PHENOMENALLY TOUCHING AND PROFOUND.

There were things I could have done without, as a Christian YA reader (preferring fantastic escapism to gritty realism, so take these thoughts accordingly).

-Language: Way too much swearing for my liking. I realize we are talking about punk rockers and dire straits here, but, as someone unaccustomed to that vocabulary, it pulled me out of the story.

-Sex: Yeah. I'm all about sexual tension in YA, but this was a bit too edgy for me. As in, it crossed over the edge into actually depicting sex. This may be okay with some YA advocates/readers. It's on my don't-like list of literary attributes.

That was it. Not an exhaustive list. Just two things that caused some dissonance for me, personally.

Otherwise, I have to give this book a glowing review and declare its author a practiced and brilliant story-teller. Thank you, Gayle Forman for a touching, beautiful story. Any reader can tell that you poured your heart and experience into this novel, and the world is better for it.

P.S. As always, I welcome your comments and discussion. That's why I write, people.

Also, check out the book website: http://www.ifistay.com/ and movie gossip: GOOGLE: if i stay movie summit  (Catherine Hardwicke directing, Summit producing, Dakota Fanning as Mia)