January 12, 2002

I look around my class during a battle scene in Braveheart - the one we watch all the time. Looking around at expressions 'cause I cannot look at the images myself. Most sit still and watch unmoving. A particularly violent scene brings out a chuckle from a few, a bit of shocked excitement "wow," and maybe one grimmace, otherwise flinchless stares. I feel disturbed.

-- writting to Mike --

I am observing the emotions evoked. Some people like to watch movies that make them cry. Its fine as long as the emotion is appropriate.

These stories are symbols of reality, that is why they are made as realistic as possible. They are deigned to evoke emotions out of people, a book can do the same using the imagination to supple the images.

Besides the same reaction (or similar) occurs when real images are shown (like all those peverse clips on websites and many documentaries in general).