Thinking with Jim and Robbie

A lovely noun that captures the idea of readers finding different
meanings in the same text is "polysemy."

Frank Kermode's idea of a classic piece of literature is that it is
polysemantic and able to yield differing and even new meaning over
time.

When we read fine writing, we often feel close to the writer of those words.

New critics wanted to focus only on the text...schools of criticism
in the second half of the 20th Century moved beyond that point to
think about reader response, structures of texts, authorial intent,
and to stress cultural ideas. (I've been told recently that single
author studies are irrelevant and that books about literature should
focus on cultural themes.)

Though I respect robbie's reading acumen and know he's onto very good
insights and experiences, I think Jim is heavier from where I see
their lovely seesaw...if we read APDFB, we know it's a great story,
but don't we know and understand more when we read RHTBC, SAI, and
Hapworth? It seems to me that in our new century, we are increasing
our ability to be intertextual (thanks to the WWW?). Although I love
the idea of reading a book and being contained with it, I don't see
my directions in literature (these days) working that way.

-- 
	Will Hochman
Associate Professor of English
Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent St, New Haven, CT 06515
203 392 5024
http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/willz.html
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