What would you Act like if...

It would probably depend a lot on what I was reading. If I spent the whole time reading gossip magazines, I would probably spend the little outside time I have speaking almost exclusively about Tom Cruise and Halle Berry and whoever else is in the magazine. If I spent my time reading classics or the dictionary, my speech would be peppered with long words that most people could not even pronounce. If it were religious books, I would speak about religion. If it were fairy tales, I would be bubbly optimistic (unless it was Anderson). If it were horror I would constantly be looking over my shoulder. If it were poetry I would speak in verse. I would view the entire world and myself based on what I spent my time reading.

I would probably be paler from spending all that time indoors and my eyesight would not be as good, especially in natural light.

Hmm... reads a lot in the attic but with a slight social life... I feel like a character like that would be sort of nervouse and feel really awkward around people, simply because his social skills were on the rustier side. Not to say he wouldn't be intelligent; he probably would be if he read a ton, but he wouldn't have the stellar communication skills for it.

Title: all the lies of georgia gray
Progess: 0%
Sanity: 96%

While not in an attic, I did read most of my early teen years. I had a strange social life, as all of my friends were people who took the time to say hello. I never approached anyone, but I also never felt the need to. I enjoyed all the books that I read, and got into the characters and plot. I still knew how to be polite, and how to interact formally. But I didn't develop informal social skills until later.

I think it would mess you up pretty badly. Has this person done nothing but read in an attic their whole life? They'd probably have some form of depression. I know when I had trouble meeting people my first year of college I was pretty lonely. I got tired and apathetic and I would get weepy for no reason. Your character would probably be somewhat socially awkward. They might have trouble talking to people, but then be angry with themself for being so shy. I've heard about people in prison who made schedules for themselves to break up the monotony, and this sounds like the same sort of situation. They might read non-fiction from 10-12, then have lunch and read another book from 1-3, then another one, etc. Hope this helps!

I'm kind of assuming that they don't want to read in the attic all the time. I don't know if that was what you were going for.

This, I would expect, depends on the time period/culture in which you are writing. In modern times in the Western world you might be seen as strange or eccentric, but in earlier times or more socially rigid cultures you may be seen as truly insane. Of course this sort of stigma would affect your personality - it may make you even more antisocial because no one wants you around. It would turn into a vicious cycle: you stay in the attic, so no one likes you, so as a defense you stay in the attic. In any culture, though, a person who stays in the attic would probably be socially awkward. Having had less practice than those around you at reading social cues such as facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, etc., you would likely be slow to respond to them, making people feel awkward around you.

Also, unless it was a forced situation, think about what kind of person would WANT to stay in an attic and read. An asocial (not antisocial, that's something different) person? An autistic person? This would affect the person too.

Then again, you said the person gets some social contact each day. The more social contact he or she gets, the less these symptoms would be a problem, and the less easily you could get away with calling the person asocial or autistic. If you want to make the situation more extreme and say that the person gets very limited or no social contact, then I would suggest this site: http://www.feralchildren.com/en/index.php The situation becomes VERY extreme.

On the plus side, a person whio spends all his or her time alone reading would probably be very smart. :)

Have you ever got the feeling that something was trying to tell you someone?
-Neil Gaiman

How much of a social life are we talking about? Just a job/school? Just going to buy food?

Also what about up bringing? Where they taught manners and how to act as a child?

And finally what kind of books are they reading? If you read books filled with proper behavour you would be differnt than if you read bloody murder storries.

I don't have much of a social life and use to read a lot (before the 50 problem's a day math work). I find anyone who talks to me in a non condesending way is a "friend" and avoid talking to people in the halls. Heck, I don't really talk to anyone unless they talk to me or irk me to a point where they have made themselves an issue. I read a lot of sci-fi, fantasy, and classic novels so I find I do have the tendency to use words or talk about things no one has any idea about and will be lost when it comes to which star is dating who or the newest CD to come out.

--
Class of '09

I was in the park, wondering why frisbees get bigger and bigger as they get closer. Then it hit me.

Well, there's no school. There's like only 4 people he could talk to, so... yeah. But thank you!

~Leash

It depends on the age of your character as well. My kids have a fairly limited social life when they're young and when they do start meeting kids their own age (around first grade) they are pretty oblivious to whatever social conventions first graders have - they're polite and know how to take turns and stuff like that, but the trends that go through the schools or what have you they know nothing about. I can't come up with any really good recent examples, but for instance when I was a kid it was all the rage to hold your breath when you passed a cemetary, or pick your feet up when you went over a bridge. My kids are also fairly unconcerned with what other kids think of them and just go along knowing they have friends and ignoring people who aren't so friendly.

Your character might be oblivious to some of the more complicated social conventions and may not even realize they're breaking an unwritten rule, or may not realize when they're being snubbed.

__________________________________________

http://sf-girl.livejournal.com

No husbands were harmed in the writing of this novel.

Cups of coffee: 0

Fast food fed to kids: 0

Your question sort of made me think of myself. I definitely agree with what "batdoe" said in that the person will probably be clueless as to when they are doing or saying something that others find odd. My husband has occasionally said that I say some of the weirdest things sometimes and that other people think I'm a bit odd for saying these things. I, however, have never noticed this in the people I have been talking to. I don't feel shy or awkward in social situations, but people probably think I am, because I rarely talk when in these social situations, unless people address me directly. The reason I rarely say things is because I usually don't feel like I have something to say that is worth the time and effort to say it. Though, when I do feel as if I have something important to say I won't hesitate to say it, no worries about how I will sound or anything, because as I said, I don't feel odd out among people, I just prefer to be alone doing my own thing... I always have. My husband thinks it's because I was an only child so didn't get much socialization as a child, but I'm not so sure about that. By the way, someone mentioned intelligence as a factor. I was #2 in my highschool and got high scores on ACT/SAT. But although I'm not stupid, I think that I got high grades, etc more because I spent so much time devoted to studies rather than inherent intelligence.