In her essay "Bad Feminist," Roxane Gay challenges the notion of reading solely for social connections. She emphasizes that literature serves a greater purpose than merely helping us find friends; it opens up a world of experiences and possibilities. Through characters and stories, readers can explore the depths of life, emotions, and human conditions, expanding their understanding of the world. Gay proposes that a more meaningful question while engaging with a text is whether the characters feel real and vibrant. This perspective shifts the focus away from seeking companionship through reading to appreciating the richness of narrative and character development, ultimately enhancing our appreciation of literature and its capability to reflect life in diverse ways.

In her essay "Bad Feminist," Roxane Gay challenges the notion of reading solely for social connections. She emphasizes that literature serves a greater purpose than merely helping us find friends; it opens up a world of experiences and possibilities. Through characters and stories, readers can explore the depths of life, emotions, and human conditions, expanding their understanding of the world.

Gay proposes that a more meaningful question while engaging with a text is whether the characters feel real and vibrant. This perspective shifts the focus away from seeking companionship through reading to appreciating the richness of narrative and character development, ultimately enhancing our appreciation of literature and its capability to reflect life in diverse ways.