From the Prize Committee: Jennifer Noji’s article offers an innovative conceptualization of reader address, thus providing profound insights into the ethical dimensions of reading and illustrating the sociopolitical potential of narrative form. Introducing the concept of the “implicated reader”, Noji creates a compelling lens through which to examine the complex relationship between readers and the structures of violence depicted in literature. The theoretical framework is not only intellectually rigorous but also highly applicable across diverse texts and contexts, as demonstrated in the nuanced analyses of three significant novels addressing legacies of U.S. imperialism. The focus on second-person address as a narrative device to implicate readers offers a fresh perspective on how narratives can challenge passive consumption and provoke political responsibility. By reframing reader identification away from empathy with victims toward recognition of complicity, Noji opens new pathways for understanding how narratives can engage with social and historical injustices.
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