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Insight

The Emotional Arc

A page-by-page sentiment analysis of the Big Book. Above the line is hope; below is despair. Watch the journey unfold across 164 pages.

Ch. 2Ch. 3Ch. 4Ch. 5Ch. 6Ch. 7Ch. 8Ch. 9Ch. 10Ch. 11HopeDespairPage 1Ch. 1: Bill's Story-0.72 · +3 / -4Page 2Ch. 1: Bill's Story-0.26 · +2 / -5Page 3Ch. 1: Bill's Story+0.11 · +5 / -3Page 4Ch. 1: Bill's Story+0.55 · +6 / -4Page 5Ch. 1: Bill's Story-0.10 · +3 / -2Page 6Ch. 1: Bill's Story-0.86 · +4 / -8Page 7Ch. 1: Bill's Story-1.20 · +2 / -7Page 8Ch. 1: Bill's Story-0.77 · +5 / -7Page 9Ch. 1: Bill's Story+0.01 · +1 / -1Page 10Ch. 1: Bill's Story+0.69 · +4 / -2Page 11Ch. 1: Bill's Story+1.57 · +5 / -1Page 12Ch. 1: Bill's Story+2.13 · +8 / -0Page 13Ch. 1: Bill's Story+2.49 · +8 / -1Page 14Ch. 1: Bill's Story+1.92 · +10 / -3Page 15Ch. 1: Bill's Story+1.73 · +8 / -5Page 16Ch. 1: Bill's Story+1.23 · +4 / -1Page 17Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+1.26 · +5 / -3Page 18Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+0.66 · +5 / -2Page 19Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+0.35 · +2 / -2Page 20Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...-0.33 · +2 / -2Page 21Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...-0.55 · +2 / -5Page 22Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...-0.34 · +0 / -2Page 23Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...-0.66 · +4 / -2Page 24Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+0.23 · +0 / -6Page 25Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+0.49 · +7 / -1Page 26Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+2.33 · +6 / -2Page 27Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+2.47 · +13 / -3Page 28Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+2.95 · +7 / -0Page 29Ch. 2: There Is a Solut...+1.06 · +4 / -0Page 30Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-0.82 · +2 / -7Page 31Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-1.66 · +1 / -10Page 32Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-1.30 · +5 / -4Page 33Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-0.33 · +2 / -5Page 34Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-0.66 · +2 / -3Page 35Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-0.85 · +4 / -6Page 36Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-1.21 · +1 / -6Page 37Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-0.87 · +2 / -6Page 38Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...-0.23 · +3 / -2Page 39Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...+0.12 · +6 / -5Page 40Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...+0.11 · +3 / -4Page 41Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...+0.11 · +2 / -1Page 42Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...+0.47 · +2 / -1Page 43Ch. 3: More About Alcoh...+0.63 · +4 / -2Page 44Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.08 · +8 / -6Page 45Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.05 · +6 / -1Page 46Ch. 4: We Agnostics+2.19 · +2 / -0Page 47Ch. 4: We Agnostics+2.22 · +13 / -0Page 48Ch. 4: We Agnostics+2.36 · +6 / -1Page 49Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.18 · +3 / -0Page 50Ch. 4: We Agnostics+0.48 · +4 / -2Page 51Ch. 4: We Agnostics+0.00 · +2 / -3Page 52Ch. 4: We Agnostics+0.40 · +2 / -3Page 53Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.60 · +7 / -1Page 54Ch. 4: We Agnostics+2.37 · +10 / -0Page 55Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.75 · +6 / -0Page 56Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.22 · +5 / -5Page 57Ch. 4: We Agnostics+1.29 · +2 / -0Page 58Ch. 5: How It Works+1.43 · +6 / -1Page 59Ch. 5: How It Works+1.73 · +2 / -1Page 60Ch. 5: How It Works+1.22 · +7 / -0Page 61Ch. 5: How It Works+0.87 · +3 / -1Page 62Ch. 5: How It Works+0.65 · +2 / -4Page 63Ch. 5: How It Works+0.19 · +7 / -1Page 64Ch. 5: How It Works-0.83 · +3 / -5Page 65Ch. 5: How It Works-1.90 · +2 / -9Page 66Ch. 5: How It Works-2.00 · +3 / -7Page 67Ch. 5: How It Works-0.35 · +2 / -5Page 68Ch. 5: How It Works+0.38 · +11 / -7Page 69Ch. 5: How It Works+1.28 · +3 / -0Page 70Ch. 5: How It Works+1.92 · +7 / -2Page 71Ch. 5: How It Works+1.76 · +2 / -0Page 72Ch. 6: Into Action+1.53 · +2 / -1Page 73Ch. 6: Into Action+0.70 · +7 / -4Page 74Ch. 6: Into Action+0.99 · +2 / -0Page 75Ch. 6: Into Action+1.70 · +5 / -1Page 76Ch. 6: Into Action+1.99 · +10 / -0Page 77Ch. 6: Into Action+1.15 · +6 / -1Page 78Ch. 6: Into Action+0.54 · +1 / -5Page 79Ch. 6: Into Action-0.20 · +6 / -2Page 80Ch. 6: Into Action+0.10 · +4 / -6Page 81Ch. 6: Into Action+0.54 · +3 / -4Page 82Ch. 6: Into Action+1.53 · +9 / -1Page 83Ch. 6: Into Action+1.52 · +8 / -1Page 84Ch. 6: Into Action+1.18 · +3 / -4Page 85Ch. 6: Into Action+0.20 · +6 / -1Page 86Ch. 6: Into Action+0.54 · +3 / -5Page 87Ch. 6: Into Action-0.59 · +2 / -0Page 88Ch. 6: Into Action-0.22 · +1 / -3Page 89Ch. 7: Working with Oth...-0.05 · +4 / -3Page 90Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+0.54 · +7 / -3Page 91Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+0.60 · +5 / -5Page 92Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+0.97 · +6 / -4Page 93Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.64 · +8 / -1Page 94Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+2.47 · +7 / -1Page 95Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+2.03 · +10 / -0Page 96Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+2.17 · +5 / -2Page 97Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.24 · +9 / -2Page 98Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.58 · +3 / -2Page 99Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.33 · +6 / -0Page 100Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.11 · +6 / -1Page 101Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.17 · +5 / -6Page 102Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+0.97 · +9 / -2Page 103Ch. 7: Working with Oth...+1.08 · +4 / -2Page 104Ch. 8: To Wives+0.74 · +4 / -4Page 105Ch. 8: To Wives+0.25 · +7 / -4Page 106Ch. 8: To Wives+0.13 · +3 / -4Page 107Ch. 8: To Wives-0.02 · +3 / -4Page 108Ch. 8: To Wives-0.11 · +5 / -3Page 109Ch. 8: To Wives-0.21 · +4 / -6Page 110Ch. 8: To Wives-0.32 · +5 / -7Page 111Ch. 8: To Wives+0.32 · +5 / -4Page 112Ch. 8: To Wives+0.66 · +5 / -1Page 113Ch. 8: To Wives+0.88 · +4 / -3Page 114Ch. 8: To Wives+1.04 · +4 / -1Page 115Ch. 8: To Wives+1.34 · +6 / -1Page 116Ch. 8: To Wives+1.34 · +11 / -7Page 117Ch. 8: To Wives+1.29 · +6 / -3Page 118Ch. 8: To Wives+1.31 · +6 / -1Page 119Ch. 8: To Wives+1.38 · +6 / -2Page 120Ch. 8: To Wives+1.17 · +8 / -4Page 121Ch. 8: To Wives+0.87 · +3 / -1Page 122Ch. 9: The Family After...+0.69 · +3 / -2Page 123Ch. 9: The Family After...+0.92 · +5 / -3Page 124Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.25 · +9 / -4Page 125Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.02 · +4 / -0Page 126Ch. 9: The Family After...+0.70 · +2 / -2Page 127Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.21 · +8 / -6Page 128Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.76 · +10 / -1Page 129Ch. 9: The Family After...+2.56 · +7 / -2Page 130Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.70 · +9 / -0Page 131Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.69 · +3 / -2Page 132Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.02 · +5 / -0Page 133Ch. 9: The Family After...+1.02 · +7 / -4Page 134Ch. 9: The Family After...+0.91 · +3 / -2Page 135Ch. 9: The Family After...+0.41 · +5 / -2Page 136Ch. 10: To Employers+0.18 · +0 / -1Page 137Ch. 10: To Employers-0.26 · +2 / -3Page 138Ch. 10: To Employers+0.00 · +2 / -2Page 139Ch. 10: To Employers+0.23 · +5 / -4Page 140Ch. 10: To Employers+0.55 · +2 / -1Page 141Ch. 10: To Employers+0.33 · +6 / -3Page 142Ch. 10: To Employers+0.68 · +1 / -2Page 143Ch. 10: To Employers+0.58 · +5 / -1Page 144Ch. 10: To Employers+0.81 · +3 / -1Page 145Ch. 10: To Employers+1.01 · +5 / -4Page 146Ch. 10: To Employers+1.00 · +8 / -2Page 147Ch. 10: To Employers+0.88 · +4 / -2Page 148Ch. 10: To Employers+0.21 · +2 / -2Page 149Ch. 10: To Employers+0.00 · +1 / -1Page 150Ch. 10: To Employers+0.15 · +1 / -1Page 151Ch. 11: A Vision for You+0.79 · +8 / -7Page 152Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.24 · +9 / -3Page 153Ch. 11: A Vision for You+0.98 · +6 / -2Page 154Ch. 11: A Vision for You+0.01 · +3 / -4Page 155Ch. 11: A Vision for You-0.55 · +3 / -6Page 156Ch. 11: A Vision for You-0.33 · +4 / -5Page 157Ch. 11: A Vision for You+0.50 · +6 / -5Page 158Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.26 · +6 / -1Page 159Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.64 · +8 / -2Page 160Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.39 · +4 / -0Page 161Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.47 · +3 / -1Page 162Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.54 · +7 / -0Page 163Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.92 · +6 / -1Page 164Ch. 11: A Vision for You+1.78 · +5 / -0
Lowest Point
Page 66
Chapter 5: How It Works
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Highest Point
Page 28
Chapter 2: There Is a Solution
Read in PDF →

By Chapter

Ch. 1: Bill's Story
+0.53Ch. 2: There Is a Solution
+0.76Ch. 3: More About Alcoholism
-0.46Ch. 4: We Agnostics
+1.37Ch. 5: How It Works
+0.45Ch. 6: Into Action
+0.78Ch. 7: Working with Others
+1.26Ch. 8: To Wives
+0.67Ch. 9: The Family Afterward
+1.20Ch. 10: To Employers
+0.42Ch. 11: A Vision for You
+0.97
How this works: Each page is scored by counting positive words (hope, faith, freedom, recovery, etc.) and negative words (fear, despair, suffering, resentment, etc.), then computing the difference as a percentage of total words. The line is smoothed with a 3-page rolling average. This is a simple lexical analysis — it captures the broad emotional contour, not every nuance. Text from the official aa.org chapter PDFs.