You know how people talk about how one scene in a particular movie—be it Bambi or Pride and Prejudice—that made them cry? (Granted, almost entirely females.) And if not a movie, then a play, piece of music, literature, or something of the like?
Never happened to me.
Never.
It's not like I'm an overly dry-eyed individual in other respects. So why don't I? Am I not drawn into the story the same way? Is my heart a dramatic chunk of ice when it comes to fictional characters?
So a big fat prize goes to whomever can find/create something that will make me cry. (Out of grief for something in the story, not something it reminded me of, or out of happiness (good luck with that one, though; it's taken marriage and birth of immediate family members to do that in real life), or beauty, I suppose, and the like. No cheating.)
To be quite honest, most of the time when a story, music, or movie makes me cry, it's usually because it reminds me of something else.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally I get attached to characters (like in Harry Potter, where I just cared about them that much), but that's much more rare.
Well, I mean that if ever I cry when I'm reading a book, it means that I've stopped reading it and was thinking about something else, something that was probably prompted by the book. As in somebody had a similar tragic problem to one of mine and I stopped to contemplate my own situation and it made me cry… probably on one of those days where I cry all the time anyway. So it's not the book that's making me cry.
ReplyDeleteCharacter deaths are the things that get closest, especially at the ends of books.
I came to the comment page to say something, and found that Rachel had already said it.
ReplyDeleteI cried at two places in "The Deathly Hallows." Neither was because of the fictional characters, but because of loved ones to whom something similar had happened. Same for when Matthew dies in "Anne of Green Gables" -- it's not about the fictional characters, but the tears are remembering the loss of ones who took me in and loved me unconditionally and brought joy to my life. Honestly, I don't think I ever cried over the fictional characters, although it may appear that way to an onlooker.
I am going to reiterate because I don't think I said it very clearly: If I cry when I'm reading a book, it's not through any skill or trick of the author. It's because I happen to be in a weepy mood and the tears are looking for a chance to escape.
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Nothing is wrong with you.
ReplyDeleteI watched The Notebook and didn't cry, either, and thought it was kind of lame...and apparently everyone's supposed to cry for that one.
However, at a young age, certain Winnie the Pooh episodes made me cry.
Does this help you to feel better about yourself? :P
No, because the point of this post was to get suggestions of books/etc. so well-done that it might induce tears.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty much it.
Except! I never even cried as a child. (Except out of terror; I was a wimpy young'un.) I would hide my face in embarrassment for sympathy of a character, though. Does that sort of count?
First of all, The Notebook is, in fact, lame.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I wrote about this some years ago on my blog, and I was going to link to that, but in re-reading it, my thoughts have developed too much since then to leave it at that. Perhaps... Hm. Perhaps I will respond on my blog...
If I need to cry, the movie "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea" tend to do it for me. There's the story, but there's also the artistry of the filming and the beauty of Prince Edward Island, and they're really good at using the soundtrack to heighten the emotional moments in the story that are common to all our lives.
ReplyDeleteAlthough... hmmm... I'm not sure I cried the first time or two I watched the move. It might've taken several viewings, and more experience with life to have some of those story-details evoke my own memories. Dunno.
Seriously, you are normal. I don't cry at books/movies/etc either... my sisters think I'm crazy. But I am not, and neither are you! We are just awesome.
ReplyDeleteAlso the Notebook is SUPER lame.
I second Rachel D.'s comment. I cry while I'm reading-alot-because it reminds me of something or other. Jacob Have I Loved was the worst yet besides Black dying. *sniff*
ReplyDeleteOh and Rachel E. is a robot anyway. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd ack! That wasn't Rachel D. I hate dial-up so much.
ReplyDeleteYes,hmm.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that, at least in books, I often cry not because of the story itself, but because it is so similiar to something in my own experience. It's empathy crying. It's the same reason I will cry with you if you happen to be weeping over something.
I guess otherwise, I'm just a weepy person. It doesn't take much to make me cry - but not from sadness!
I often cry simply because a thing is so beautiful. (For instance, last semester when I was in Canada, Dad sent me an email critiquing something I had written that so epitomized everything beautiful about him that I ended up streaming tears for almost an entire hour. Sarena made me teary last week. It is the noble amid the ignoble, justice surrounded by injustice, and sacrifice that makes me cry.)
I'll work on something to make you cry. It might take a while, though. How long is this offer good for?
This is very intriguing.
ReplyDeleteMy offer is good till I go senile… and who knows how long I have till that happens! :P
If I go senile, will you cry?
ReplyDeleteIf I'm able and not personally senile.
ReplyDelete