"In an evolutionary context, hyper attention no doubt developed first; deep attention is a relative luxury requiring group cooperation to create a secure environment in which one does not have to be constantly alert to danger."
- Hyper and Deep Attention, Page 188, N. Katherine Hayles
“It's fear that makes us lose our conscience. It's also what transforms us into cowards.”
- The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
Is evoking fear in readers beneficial when trying to get a point across effectively?
When suspense is present in a novel, more often than not, I, as a reader, find myself on the edge of my seat waiting impatiently to see what is going to happen next. Fear really does enable a loss of consciousness, but at the same time, it captivates attention. When fear is present, sometimes sensibility gets lost in the shuffle, which could be seen as a hindrance to a reader's understanding, but if fear evokes deep attention because the reader cannot regain a calm demeanor until the suspense is settled, the point of the novel can come across very clearly, because the reader will be so alert from fear and deep attention that they will not miss a single point the author is trying to make.
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