 So, it's your boy Matt here to talk to you about them action figures and fictional things. We've all been there, right? You're watching the cartoon with the lovely lady or the handsome man and all of a sudden you get the feels for them. Or was that just me? Anyways, lots of people like fiction and can go to great lengths to become a fictional character. But why is it that we can have such a strong feeling of connection with these characters to the point where we can become attached to them, defensive of them, and become distraught if they are hurt or even killed? I'll be answering that question with three answers. The first of which is insight. Fictional characters can give us insight into the lives of people in the real world. In Blake Evure-Mule's book, Why Do We Care About Literary Characters, she writes, People need to know what people are like. We often wonder about others and what they're thinking. And fiction gives us information that would be too costly, dangerous, and difficult to extract from the world on our own. We are so involved in their worlds and their day to day lives, their struggles, and the emotions they feel. We are right there with them when no one else is. And so we feel especially connected. Even more so when we know what they're thinking. This is something that could never be achieved in real life. Answer number two, empathy. Empathy allows us to feel what the characters are feeling. Mere neurons in the brain cause us to feel happy, sad, or angry when we see someone else experiencing these emotions. We experience changes with them, whether they be good or bad. In Harry Potter, you're right there with him in some of his darkest moments, which allowed the reader to go through those same emotions and understand Harry's motivations and fears. Characters can become like friends, or even an extension of ourselves. According to Howard Sklar, a postdoctoral researcher in the English Philology Union at the University of Helsinki. As anyone who has watched an engaging film or read an engaging novel knows, we invest ourselves deeply in the experience of living with those characters. We tend to respond to them as though they were real individuals. Answer number three, human need. We as people need to relate our lives to other people, and this means relating our lives to those of others. This can also be true when relating to fictional characters, since fiction and storytelling are so embedded into the culture of humanity. When a person feels marginalized, or like an outcast, they may tend to gravitate towards characters who share those same qualities. This may act as a form of therapy and even comfort for the person. Human beings have been telling stories for thousands of years, so perhaps it is human nature to relate to characters and the stories in which they exist. We may also try to view our lives as a similar narrative, wanting to be part of a larger story. We hope in our own stories, despite our own trials, we will overcome and have our own version of a happy ending. Because like many stories tell us, if it's not happy, it's not the end. If you found this video to be informational, insightful, helpful, or even just plain awesome, feel free to hit that thumbs up button, or subscribe if you'd like to go for more videos like this one. If you want to read the original article complete with sources, go ahead and tap the link in the description below. The question of the day is, who is your favorite fictional character and why? We'd love to hear your answer in the comments section below. Until next time, peace out.