Narratiewe empatie en die skryf van ʼn novelle

Abstract

In hierdie praktykgebaseerde studie word gepoog om die konsep empatie te ondersoek, volgens goeie skryfkunsbeginsels en psigologiese insigte, sodat ʼn eie novelle geskryf kan word waarin empatie effektief bewerkstellig word. Sowel die teoretiese verkenning as die proefondervindelike kreatiewe skryfproses dra by tot die begrip van hierdie ingewikkelde konsep. Die verstaan van empatie is oor die algemeen vir die skryfkuns en spesifiek vir die novelle bevorderlik. Die ervaring van empatie beteken om te voel wat ʼn ander voel en dit dra by tot ʼn dieper en vollediger verstaan van die ander. Die komplekse werking van empatie word ondersoek, sodat dit in die breër konteks van die studie verstaan kan word. Daar word onder andere verwys na die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van empatie, watter rol die verbeelding kan speel as dit by die beleef van empatie kom en hoe die ervaar van empatie moontlik ʼn effek op die leser se eie werklikheid kan hê. Hierdie algemene konsepsuele verkenning van empatie is uiteindelik gerig op die literêre vraagstuk wat ek in hierdie verhandeling ondersoek: Hoe kan die beginsels van empatie, vanuit sowel skryfkundige as psigologiese hoeke bekyk, effektief in werking gestel word in die skryf van ʼn novelle? Die narratiewe beginsels gaan verder ook skryfkundig bestudeer word. Skryftegnieke wat reeds ondersoek is en in fiksie gebruik kan word en wat moontlik empatiewekking tot gevolg kan hê, word ondersoek, sodat dit prakties gestalte kan kry in die skryf van my eie novelle. Vervolgens word die novelle as genre-vorm bespreek. Daar word spesifiek aandag gegee aan die definisie, ontstaan, ontwikkeling, kenmerke en doel van die novelle sodat aangedui kan word waarom juis die novelle as genre-vorm vir hierdie spesifieke studie benut word. Voorts word geselekteerde novelles bestudeer om spesifieke strategieë te identifiseer vir die skryf van my eie novelle. Verder word daar aangetoon hoe narratiewe empatie gewek kan word deur die skryfproses en deur spesifiek die novelle as genre-vorm hiervoor aan te wend. Sowel die selfgeskrewe novelle, as die opsomming en gevolgtrekking van hierdie studie toon uiteindelik wat addisioneel deur die kreatiewe skryfproses oor empatie geleer is. Die ondersoek as geheel dien daarom as ’n groot leerproses oor empatie. Die studie sluit af met ʼn refleksie oor die skryfproses van die novelle asook die uitdagings om teoreties verantwoord, maar steeds vanuit die self en outentiek te skryf. With this practice-based study the aim is to explore the concept of empathy, along with sound writing principles and psychological insight, eventually to write an own novella, in which empathy could be created and demonstrated effectively. The theoretical exploration and the experimental creative writing process contribute to the understanding of this complex concept. Understanding empathy can improve the writing process in general and specifically the writing of a novella. The experience of empathy means to feel what another feels and it contributes to a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the other. The complexities of empathy are investigated in order to understand its wider context. Among other aspects, there are references to the origin and development of empathy, what role the imagination could play when it comes to experiencing empathy and how the experience of empathy could probably impact on the reader’s own reality. This general conceptual exploration of empathy is eventually aimed at the literary problem, which I investigate in this study: How could the principles of empathy be efficiently employed in the writing of a novella, seen from the perspective of both psychology and the craft of writing. Narrative principles will also be studied in context of the field of creative writing. Writing techniques that had been investigated already, which could be used in fiction, and which could create empathy, are investigated with the aim to practically apply these in the writing of a novella. Subsequently the novella is discussed as a genre. Specific focus is awarded to the definition, origin, development, characteristics and purpose of the novella in order to demonstrate why the novella genre is explored in this specific study. This is followed by studying selected novellas in order to identify specific strategies for the writing of my own novella. In addition I intend to demonstrate how empathy can be effectuated through the writing process, by specifically applying the novella as genre. Both my novella and the conclusion of this study eventually demonstrate what had been learnt additionally about empathy through the creative writing process. The investigation as a whole therefore serves as one big learning curve regarding empathy applied to the novella. The study concludes with a reflection about the creative writing process and the challenges involved in writing in a manner that is not only theoretically informed but also credible from the perspective of the self.