What does 'reading' mean?
Am I seeing words and phrases of a text? The answer is a definite no. For a moment in the very beginning of the experience, I'm aware of letters and words. My awareness of those thing is a short-lived thing, though. I forget that I'm seeing them; such structural building blocks disappeare from my consciousness. Consciously, while I'm reading, I never take notice of phraces or clauses either. I can't enjoy the story in a text if I can enjoy the grammatical features in it.
Am I hearing the sounds, the speech, the discussions? The answer is the same: no. Except for a brief moment at the beginning of the text, I don't hear any imaginary voices unless something takes me out of the story.
I am not watching pictures either. I don't see pictures of people acting with each other. I dont' see pictures of beautiful landscapes. I don't see pictures unless something takes me out of the story.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm not reading as long as I am outside of the story. By the assistance of a well written text, I transport myself into the story, into the moment, into the place, into the action. In my own imagination, I live through the events that someone else has created and formed into a story. While I'm reading, the real world disappeares completely from my conscious thoughts. Words and syntax can achieve such a remarkable thing; nothing else is needed.
How does that happen? I know that it takes something that is called concentration. I know also that it isn't enough. There are texts in which I can't concentrate because the text doesn't allow it. So, whatever it is it has to be in the text, and not in the reader.
