Professor Name
Discussion Board
People try to understand others better by imagining how things look from their
perspective. However, many end up discriminating against and despising other people regardless
of how they feel about their actions or difference because of a lack of empathy. However, it is
very important to have empathy for other people.
Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings in a situation
from their point of view and not from your own understanding and perspective (Beth Ann
Fennelly, 2020). Therefore, empathy is a profound act of imagination and human connection
whereby one tries to understand a person’s perception, predicaments, physical feelings,
emotional feelings, and what they are thinking, and feeling with them.
Literature connects to broader human experience, builds greater emotional intelligence,
and improves our social awareness. Therefore, literature makes us empathetic as we judge the
protagonist’s actions against what we would do in the same situation or what we have done in
the past. For instance, literature develops our social behavior by understanding those who are
different from us by skin color, religion, education level, wealth, and many more. Mind reading
when reading a character educates our emotional intelligence and spirituality.
Literature develops an understanding of the perspective and feelings of our colleagues at
work, family, and neighbors. In particular, literature that explores themes related to teamwork,
leadership, and communication improves our skills in different fields of working environments
specifically concerned with people’s relations.