Why do novels such as In Babylon (1997) by Marcel Möring leave such a profound impression on their readers, even though events are narrated in a fragmented, non-linear fashion and the outcome remains entirely unclear? This is because the affective plot of such novels is so distinctly present: the emotional coherence that is decisive for the reading experience. The development of mood (Stimmung) is what generates suspense. Novels of this kind demonstrate that, in reading, the affective dimension takes precedence.
Anyone who seeks to do justice, from a literary-scholarly perspective, to the experience of reading a novel cannot ignore the affective layer of the narrated events, nor the affective appeal that the novel as a whole makes to the reader. It is precisely the affective aspect that provides access to a work of art.
This study develops an approach for making this dimension of literature visible, inspired by Gerard Visser’s phenomenology...
Show moreWhy do novels such as In Babylon (1997) by Marcel Möring leave such a profound impression on their readers, even though events are narrated in a fragmented, non-linear fashion and the outcome remains entirely unclear? This is because the affective plot of such novels is so distinctly present: the emotional coherence that is decisive for the reading experience. The development of mood (Stimmung) is what generates suspense. Novels of this kind demonstrate that, in reading, the affective dimension takes precedence.
Anyone who seeks to do justice, from a literary-scholarly perspective, to the experience of reading a novel cannot ignore the affective layer of the narrated events, nor the affective appeal that the novel as a whole makes to the reader. It is precisely the affective aspect that provides access to a work of art.
This study develops an approach for making this dimension of literature visible, inspired by Gerard Visser’s phenomenology of the affective. His concepts of open forms and resonance space provide a framework for describing the emotional effects of literary texts through salient textual features. It is precisely such distinctive textual features that prove to be sites where an affective plot can be found, where the Befindlichkeit (experiential quality) of a work resides—something readers perceive but cannot easily put into words.
The study The Affective Plot seeks to capture a living reading experience of the novels through which Marcel Möring became known: alongside In Babylon, these include Het grote verlangen (1992) and Mendel (1990). It serves as a guide to this oeuvre and as an invitation to broader application of the affective-phenomenological approach.
Gerda van de Haar (1965) is a literary essayist and was affiliated for many years with the journal 'Liter'. She is professionally active in the publishing field and conducted the research for Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS) in her spare time.
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