What is the literary device when the audience / readers empathise with the characters in the story / play?

Answer 1

Do you mean Naturalism? (and Stanislavski's theory of the theatre, whereby the actor "becomes" the character and the audience is encouraged to identify with the character)?

As opposed to Brecht's notion of epic theatre and the Verfremdungseffekt (usuallly translated as "alienation device"), where the actor "presents" the character in a detached way for the audience's critical examination and assessment.

Answer 2

Beyond the talent to create a good story and characters, there is no literary "device" an author uses to get an audience response. The audience generates its own response by recognizing elements in the story/characters with which it can identify. So "identification" may be the term you're looking for, but it is not a literary device.

Answer 3

I choose Edward Rochester! 1) What would their username be? Rochester. He wouldn't be into all the cutesy little nicknames. 2) What section(s) would they hang out in? Philosophy, Marriage and Divorce, Books and Authors, and Poetry. 3) Which would they do more of: ask questions or answer 'em? Answering. He's too intelligent not to have the answers, and too prideful not to share them. 4) Do you think they'd add you to their contacts? Or would they block that option for everyone? Would you add him/her if the option was open? I don't think he'd add anyone, really. He's not sociable at all. But I would definitely add him! 5) Would s/he be a regular contributor or a drop-in kind of person? Regular contributor. He doesn't exactly have that much else to do. 6) What kind of questions would they be likely to ask? Fun, humorous, intelligent, simple, thought-provoking, homework-type, troll, etc.? Intelligent and thught-provoking. Maybe a few witty and sarcastic questions if he's in a particularly good mood. 7) Do you think you'd get along with them on here, if you happened to frequent the same sections? Would you develop a healthy internet friendship with them? I think we'd get along. I'd respect him and (hopefully) he'd return some of that respect. He's not easy to get along with all he time, though. He might not like me. As for a healthy relationship, probably not. I'd end up nearly stalking him. 8) Would you -want- your favorite characters to be Y!A users? Yes! That would be a dream come true. Especially Rochester. I'd love to get to know him...

Answer 4

The best way to draw your audience into the story with your character is to use the "refusal of the call to action" idea. Your character has some mission or task that he/she is either asked to carry out or MUST carry out, but doesn't want to and refuses. Then, a little later, something personal happens to make the character decide to do it. There you have it -- the reluctant hero who is dragged kicking and screaming into the story, and the audience has been dragged kicking and screaming right along with the character into the story.

Answer 5

I think you may be referring to the tragic hero.

Answer 6

Jphn's got it nailed. Identification has got to be what you are thinking of.

Answer 7

protagonist?????