Therapeutic Reading of Emotional Conceptual Metaphors

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for therapeutic reading through the interdisciplinary integration of the cultural system, namely literature, with the psychological system. Therapeutic reading is examined from the standpoint of cognitive science, primarily through the lens of cognitive narratology and, on the other hand, cognitive therapy as a psychological method. This interdisciplinary approach is feasible because both referenced systems employ the term metaphor, or more specifically, conceptual metaphor, in nearly synonymous ways. Within the realm of conceptual metaphor, a special focus is placed on so-called emotional conceptual metaphors and an examination of their functional applications. Notably, emotional conceptual metaphors as distinct entities do not exist; however, there are certain types of conceptual metaphors that facilitate the description of emotion and its experience. These metaphors could potentially be regarded as a symbolically generalized medium of communication capable of traversing the boundaries between the domains of literature and psychology, thus enabling the translation of the full spectrum of emotions between these two systems.