En berättelse tar form - en studie i hur geometrisk form på bokomslag indikerar populärlitterär genre

Degree
Bachelor
University
Linköping University
Publication year
2014
Comment

I ran the abstract through Google Translate:

This study aims to investigate whether there is a connection between geometric shapes and popular literary genres and how these are justified in such cases. The geometric shapes included in the study are circle, square, rhombus and two types of triangles (where one is pointed upwards and the other downwards) and the popular literary genres examined are romance, detective stories, science fiction, fantasy and horror. First, a web survey was conducted, which provided answers to which geometric shapes 131 respondents considered to fit best and worst in the various popular literary genres. The survey results were then followed up with two focus group interviews, where the respondents were allowed to discuss both their own choices and the survey results and thus provide explanations for these. The collected empirics were then analyzed on the basis of association theory, symbolism and psychological research linked to geometric form and popular literature science. It then emerged that not all genres had substantiated connections to a geometric shape, but that there were two clear positive results. The circle has a very strong connection to the genre of romance and the same applies between the two triangles and science fiction. The circle's connection to romance was motivated by the fact that the circle was experienced as soft, positive, warm and as a symbol of eternity. The connection between the triangles and science fiction was explained by the fact that the triangles were experienced as hard, cold and metallic and that the respondents had several cultural references to triangles in science fiction. There was also a clear negative connection between the circle and the two genres detective and horror. There was the motivation that detective stories and horror contain brutal and threatening elements that were not perceived to match the soft, positive form of the circle.

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