Why did he sometimes do that when he read novels? What was going on?

Answer 1

That referred to the situation, plot, or character reaction in the novel. For details, you could refer to the following explanation:

1. Plot conflict: There are often plot conflicts in novels. These conflicts can be conflicts of interest, emotional conflicts, or identity conflicts between characters. When readers enter these plots, they often resonate and react emotionally, thus feeling "that".

2. Character's reaction: The reaction of the characters in the novel is often an important plot element. When the reader sees a certain character react in a certain way, they are often attracted or moved by it, so they will feel "that".

3. Resonance of thoughts: Some novels will involve profound topics and thoughts. The reader may have a resonance of thoughts during the reading process and feel "that".

4. Language expression: The language and expression of the novel are also one of the factors that affect the reader's feelings. Some language expressions and sentence patterns in the novel may stimulate the reader's emotions and thoughts, so they will feel "that".

In short, the reader feels "that" usually because the plot, characters, thoughts, language expressions and other elements in the novel resonate and interact with the reader. This is a very subjective feeling, and different people may have different reactions.