In a message dated 98-10-20 14:10:15 EDT, you write: << People tend to get so involved in the writer's beleifs or the symbolism of the story that they forget about the story itself. -Liz Friedman >> Liz, I totally understand what you are saying here. I feel that same way, most of the time. But you must admit, this page and any discussion on literature would be quite boring if you didn't look into the stories people write. If you don't try to figure out emotions and ideas the author was trying to convey. No one writes to write, except for homework in school. They write as a way of expressing their thoughts/feelings. Morgan