Who's Better?
Jon Tveite (jontv@ksu.edu)
Mon, 17 Nov 1997 08:38:10 -0600
NovenA16@aol.com wrote:
> i'd have to say that malcolm has a good point in saying that there's no use
> in comparing author's and their work's by saying who is better.
Well, saying "no use" might be a bit strong. Literature is not -- and
should not be -- some kind of macho competitive sport. But saying one
writer "is better" than another is probably shorthand for saying "this
person is more worthy of your time than this other person" -- and those
kinds of judgments are very relevent, given that nobody has time to read
everything worth reading. Of course, the reader making such a claim
needs to support his/her assertion with reasons and criteria, so the
rest of us can judge the judgment for ourselves. But I disagree with
anyone who thinks comparative arguments have no place in lit studies.
And don't tell me these things are too subjective. Everything we do and
say is subjective, so if you're going to ban all subjective statements,
there's no point in saying anything. Backing up your claims is how you
make them less subjective -- or at least more understandable to others.
Jon