A Cognitive and Sentiment Analysis of Life, Death, and Inspiration Quotes in Goodreads Website

Abstract

In this study, the three themes, life, death, and inspiration, represent the course of life, i.e. rather general in terms of type. The choice of the themes is rather general to provide a rather universal view of the relationship between cognition and emotions. The data analyzed consisted of the most likable 200 quotes in each of the themes, a total of 600 quotes. Though the number of quotes is consistent, the number of words in each quote varies depending on the number of words in each quote. For instance, inspiration contained 5206 words, life contained 6706, while death contained 8523 words. This results in a higher frequency in the total number of excerpts in death and consequently resulting in a higher number in both images and emotions/sentiments. In order to be able to do this, a detailed qualitative analysis is provided for each quote and excerpt by using image schema and sentiment, independently, in order not to affect any or either of the datasets. The cognitive aspect is applied through image schema (Johnson, 1987; Kimmel, 2005; and Evans & Green, 2006). Emotion analysis is guided by the wheel of emotions (Plutchik, 1981); and elaboration of emotion behaviors (Ahmad, 2011; Benarek, 2008; Frijda, 2001; Hobbs & Gordon, 2011; Plutchik, 1980, 2000 & 2001; Prinz, 2004; Sheikh, et al., 2008; Strongman, 2003). Furthermore, aspects of control and responsibility of the self and the other (Lakoff, 1987 & 1992; Lakoff & Johnson, 1999) are applied.