The Repository @ St. Cloud State

Open Access Knowledge and Scholarship

Date of Award

5-2026

Culminating Project Type

Thesis

Styleguide

apa

Degree Name

English: M.A.

Department

English

College

College of Liberal Arts

First Advisor

Dr. Judith Dorn

Second Advisor

Dr. Sarah Green

Third Advisor

Dr. Matthew Barton

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Keywords and Subject Headings

Literature, Empathy, Moral Imagination, Social Cohesion, Social Fragmentation, Affective and Cognitive Criticism, A Man Called Ove

Abstract

This thesis examines the capacity of literature to foster social connection through moral reflection in a contemporary context marked by cultural polarization, emotional fragmentation, and social isolation. While literary studies often foreground ideological critique, less attention has been given to fiction’s potential to cultivate understanding and communal integration. This study addresses that gap through a qualitative analysis of Backman’s A Man Called Ove (2012), exploring how the novel models ethical engagement and shared humanity.

Grounded in Cultural Studies, affective and cognitive literary criticism, and moral imagination frameworks, the research employs interpretive textual analysis to investigate how Backman’s characterization, narrative structure, and thematic focus invite readers into an emotionally participatory experience. The study highlights how readers identify with characters across lines of age, culture, identity, and social status, witnessing vulnerability, interdependence, and ethical decision-making. The analysis further demonstrates how literature can illuminate ordinary human lives, challenge isolation, and mediate engagement with broader social realities, including differences, bureaucracy, and community.

The findings suggest that A Man Called Ove exemplifies literature’s capacity to bridge social divides, cultivate empathy, and encourage moral and civic imagination. By integrating narrative form, reader engagement, and social context, the novel offers alternative visions of community, cooperation, and ethical responsibility. This thesis positions fiction as both an aesthetic and social force, capable of reinforcing cohesion, fostering understanding, and supporting practices in education and leadership that promote shared humanity in an increasingly fragmented world.

Comments/Acknowledgements

            To my gracious God, whose unwavering love and strength carry me through every stage, I am deeply grateful.

            To my exceptional thesis committee, Dr. Dorn, Dr. Green, and Dr. Barton, for your thoughtful criticism, guidance, patience, and kind words, which made the completion of this project possible, I offer my sincerest gratitude.

            To the St. Cloud State University community, for the opportunity to learn and to grow as a valued member of your academic community, I am truly appreciative.

            To my amazing employer, Dr. Melanie Guentzel, for your constant support and understanding, and for your encouragement and flexibility that have enabled my success, I remain always grateful to have had such a supportive mentor and supervisor.

            To my Gabriel, for your relentless support throughout the preparation of this thesis and for coming into my life at just the right time, I cannot express my gratitude enough.

            To my family and friends, for your prayers, emotional support throughout this endeavor, and your belief in me that means more than words can express, I am deeply thankful.

            To all who contributed to this journey in different ways, I remain sincerely grateful.

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