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Series:   Elements in Digital Literary Studies

The Shapes of Stories

Sentiment Analysis for Narrative

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2022

Katherine Elkins
Katherine Elkins
Affiliation:
Kenyon College, Ohio

Summary

Sentiment analysis has gained widespread adoption in many fields, but not—until now—in literary studies. Scholars have lacked a robust methodology that adapts the tool to the skills and questions central to literary scholars. Also lacking has been quantitative data to help the scholar choose between the many models. Which model is best for which narrative, and why? By comparing over three dozen models, including the latest Deep Learning AI, the author details how to choose the correct model—or set of models—depending on the unique affective fingerprint of a narrative. The author also demonstrates how to combine a clustered close reading of textual cruxes in order to interpret a narrative. By analyzing a diverse and cross-cultural range of texts in a series of case studies, the Element highlights new insights into the many shapes of stories.
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Keywords

sentiment analysisnarrative studiesdigital humanitiesaffective AIemotional arc
Type
Element
Information
Series: Elements in Digital Literary Studies
Online ISBN: 9781009270403
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 04 August 2022

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