Have you ever heard of ‘aphantasia’? it is a newly coined term that describes the absence of a mind’s eye. When you read a book, do you visualise the characters? Most of us do, and when we later come across an illustrated edition, or watch a film version of that novel, we are often disappointed because the characters depicted do not match the versions we have imagined. However, it seems about 4% of the population fail to visualise mentally in this way. I wonder if they are a part of humanity that rarely reads a novel?
Books only began to get illustrations in the 19th century when new printing technology enabled a proliferation of images in books, periodicals and newspapers. But the pictures came with some anxiety about the effects of the pictures on readers. There was a problem when a book, for example, a novel by Charles Dickens, had been published without pictures, and then suddenly readers were faced with images by Cruikshank or Hablot Knight Browne, and felt almost betrayed that the illustration did NOT meet their expectations. Readers reported a feeling of disturbance and dislocation when this happened. But if you have aphantasia, this problem does not arise, as you have no mental image of the characters which might be upset by a picture.
I have many illustrated editions of Jane Austen, and not one picture fully matches my mental images of her immortal characters. Perhaps we modern readers are more used to seeing pictures in books and being able to reject them and hold fast to our own imagined pictures? However, today we have the problem of seeing a film version of a loved novel in which the actors seem wrong for the parts and do not at all fit with what we have imagined. As we leave a cinema, perhaps we have to stop and ask why we feel disappointed? What evidence is there that the character did not look or behave like the portrayal on screen? Some time this year we will have a red-haired Mr Darcy in the new Netflix version of Pride and Prejudice. All previous Darcys have been dark haired, and yet Jane Austen never actually tells us what colour her hero’s hair is in the novel, so why not a blond Darcy, or an auburn one? But it is wonderfully satisfying when a character appears on the screen and you know that YES, that appearance and portrayal exactly match your mental image. Or the acting is so powerful that your own mental image in gone from that moment, and it is that actor who will forever appear in your mind when you re-read the book. For me, Richard Armitage will always be John Thornton in Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South, and I can’t even remember what he looked like in my mind when I first read the novel.
Do you have strong mental pictures of characters as you read, or are you one of the few whose aphantasia prevents this from happening? I can’t even imagine that and would be most interested to hear what it is like? Does it, I wonder, prevent people with this issue from becoming keen readers? Are there characters who you have so strongly in your mind’s eye that you cannot bear to watch a film version that does not match up? Tell me your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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Heather Grant
I have since a child, always visualised the characters in a book or on the radio (I was born well before TV entered our lives), I still do, and then when I, see the movie or TV series I am often disappointed. Although the recent TV series on the ABC “Miss Austen” the actress who played the part of Jane was exactly as I imagined her to be. Not quite in looks but in character. And the “Barchester Towers”TV series which I have, I thought the casting was suburb in that – especially Alan Rickman as Mr Slope (Slop!!). Also Geraldine McEwan as Mrs Proudie – superb in my view. The casting in that series was excellent with Nigel Hawthorne as the Dean.. I must watch it again.
Susannah Fullerton
Oh yes, I agree with all those ‘right’ castings in films. At first I felt the actress playing Jane in ‘Miss Austen’ wasn’t quite right but she really grew on me and I just loved the series. And I adore ‘ Barchester Towers’.
Donna Fletcher Crow
Growing up as an only child on a farm I always amused myself by “watching TV” in my head whether I was reading or not–and that was before we had TV. A few years ago, though, I had the disconcerting experience of having a woman walk out of a fiction writing class I was teaching when I said my definition of “talent” for writing novels is being able to see pictures in your head. She told me later, somewhat defiantly, “I have *never* seen a picture in my head!” Now I have a name to put on it!
Carol Holden
I love reading and at least 2 books a week but never picture the characters so rely on the author’s description though don’t find it necessary. I do enjoy books where the settings are familiar ie set in Australia and other countries I have lived in.
Susannah Fullerton
We all need the author’s description of the characters to get some idea of them, but I guess after that imagination has free reign. Yes, familiar settings make a big difference, though I’d love to have passport stamps for all the countries I have travelled to in books rather than in reality.
Rowena Eddy
I rarely picture characters or settings. Occasionally I’ll fit a scene to somewhere I know, but usually go with the flow. I’d say I probably have aphantasia, but manage to read over 100 books a year. Don’t always remember them though, which I suspect may be connected. The mind and intellect are engaged, not the imagination.
Susannah Fullerton
You are certainly a great reader if you read over 100 books a year. Of course none of us remember all the books we read really clearly, but that’s interesting you feel you don’t picture characters or settings. I wonder how anyone can actually diagnose aphantasia, as only we know what goes on in our imaginations and brains.
Libby Hathorn
Interesting article. I like to read the book first, and then I try to separate the images in mind from the ones I see on screen. However if the movie is a good one, then that screen image will tend to pervade
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, that’s the case with me too. I much prefer book first, but a really good films can change your mental pictures entirely.
Maria
Me again – I discovered that Netflix has cast Jack Lowden as Darcy. He’s a wonderful actor (Slow Horses and The Fifth Step) and an attractive man. I no longer have any concerns about a red-headed Darcy!
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, I am so looking forward to seeing him in the role!
Vicki
Jack Lowden is a terrific actor s hopefully the whole production will match his talents.
I agree about Richard Armitage as John Thornton-great casting.
Susannah Fullerton
I am glad you agree about Richard Armitage. How could any female not love him in that role?? I don’t know when the new P & P is due out, but can’t wait to see it.
Maria
I don’t have aphantasia and I’m certain I would miss my “mind’s eye” if I lost it for any reason. However, if I’d never had the ability to visualise mentally, perhaps it would seem strange to go through life picturing characters I read about. Like you, I wonder what proportion of people who read little fiction have aphantasia. I also wonder if aphantasia makes it difficult for people to write fiction? Lots of questions but sadly, no answers.
I’m not relishing the prospect of a Darcy with red locks. But then, I wasn’t immediately taken with Johnny Flynn as Mr Knightley. Happily, it didn’t take me long to appreciate his manifold attractions.
Susannah Fullerton
It is just so hard to imagine having aphantasia, isn’t it! And yes, I imagine it would make it hard to write fiction as well as read it.
And I agree about Johnny Flynn!!
JIM GODING
I once heard a story, whether apocryphal or not, about a child who was asked: “Which do you prefer, radio or TV?”.
She answered, “I like radio because you can see the pictures more clearly”.
Susannah Fullerton
Lovely story and there’s definitely an element of truth in it. Thanks for sharing, Jim.