I am so glad that he addressed this topic. I think it about it a lot. (Well mainly when I'm studying/teaching difficult poems or when I'm reading the answers to the AP Hamlet study guide--did Shakespeare REALLY think that deeply when he was writing about the child actors? I don't know.
However, I do think Foster brought up some good points. Those of you who love to read are probably stronger writers--you learn something from every book you read, even if you don't realize it. While I'm not sure that every classical author truly meant for us to interpret themes and ideas in the ways that we have, I think they definitely had to put much more thought into what we are reading than we can even imagine.
I know that when I write something it takes much longer to write it than it takes for someone to read it--and I'm not trying to relay some subtle theme...
What do you guys think? Is everything on purpose? Do the authors really intend for us to make all the connections to all the allusions and all the symbols and all the themes etc...???????
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19 comments:
I honestly don't think that all authors make references on purpose and I don't think that they all expect us to know what they are referring to. They can't expect for us to all know what they are talking about, therefore I belive that the author just writes and then happens to come along an idea.
I don't necessarily think that all authors intentionally put in symbols and things. Maybe the author just felt like naming a character a certain name or adding a certain detail. I know when I write, even though it's totally not professional, I don't always have to put a lot of deep thought into naming characters or making things symbols, so I don't believe that is the true intentions of all authors.
I think that most writers do make allusions etc. on purpose, however, I know that they all don't. Like Mrs. Thompson said some people are such good writers, they read for deeper meaning, even when there was not one made on purpose. I think some writers, who are more simplistic, leave room for interpretation wher teh reader can fill in spots with their own ideas and feelings.
I honestly don't think that it is on purpose for the author to make that allusion to historical figures. I always enjoy a good allusion when I know what it is talking about. It can really make a story a lot more interesting. It also saves words and helps the author get to the point he is trying to make.
I don;t think they intend for us to completely understand each and every one of their allusions, but maybe it's more of a challenge to us as readers to try and pick them out. When I write i don't tend to pick out little things to become important later, but then again, i don't write novels.
I don't think that all the things that people get out of poems and stories is what the author was thinking. Two people can look at a poem in two totally different ways. The author was probably only thinking about one of those ways at the time of his writing, unless he just really wanted to confuse us. I honestly think that some people think way too deep when reading.
I don't think everything is on purpose. The beauty of literature is that it is completely open to interpretation, so many times what we get out of it is completely dependent on our individual perspective. The author cannot possibly predict exactly what their writing will mean to us. However, there are many times when an author makes a reference or uses a symbol on purpose. An author's writing is their expressive outlet. In Mrs. Thompson's example about Shakespeare adressing the child acting troupes, that was his way of calling attention to a topic that concerned him. His way of expressing it was putting it in his play for all to hear. I know when I am writing, one thing I do is choose my words very meticulously because I want my diction to communicate what I am trying to make the reader feel. I would imagine the same goes for professional or classic authors, except they are better at it.
i don't think everything is on pursose when authors write. Maybe sometimes if they are really tring to get a point across. But i agree with ashton, thats whats makes reading writing so interesting. If that makes any sense.
I agree with everyone but Aimee, because i do not think that authors purposely make references and symbols. Seriously, who is going to sit there and put extremely deep meaning and thought into something that they themselves may not know the ending of.
I think that authors intentionally put some things in there, but you may get something out of it that the author didn't even realize they put in there. Then again, the author may have put a lot of time and effort into putting something in it that you didn't get at all. Different people get different things out of stories.
I do think that the authors intentionally put things in stories to make us think. How could a story really be interesting if it didnt leave you guessing.
I think that the really skilled and experienced writers mean for the symbols and allusions to connect and convey deeper meanings for their readers, but i also belive some of it is incidental. Like he said, everyone comes up with their own interpretation of certain things in a story, each specific to the reader and their own experiences. I don't think it is possible for the writer to have intentionally meant for every one of those interpretations to be gathered, but rather leave it up to the reader to gain their own undersatanding. and i also think there is the case of some people reading too much in to what isn't intended by the author at all.
No, I really don't think authors mean to include all those in depth "secret" themes that are so round about, very few people pick up on them... I think people now just pick apart and analyze things so much that they forget to actually enjoy the story.
I don't think that authors make references on purpose. I think that the author just writes and as they write they think of other things to allude to or that also symbolize what they are talking about but I don't think that they have an overall plan.
I don't think that all authors make references on purpose, some of them may just write what they think about the topic at hand. I do think though that some authors research their topic in depth just to figure out ways to say exactly what their thinking in more interesting terms. I also think some authors do like to leave some of the story for the reader themselves to interpret. It's hard for an author to know exactly what individual people will get from their writing, but they usually have a central idea.
Especially with classical books and other books from older generations, we read different things into them than contemporary readers might have because we have been influenced by a completely different culture.
I know that when I was in my writing class, my peers read some very interesting things into my writing that I wish that I could take credit for thinking, but unfortunately I didn't. :-/
i believe that when authors are writeing their stories they indeed do not mean to add references. i think it come naturaly to everyone not just writers, and of course we will not understand all their references, but for the most part we will at least get an idea of what they are talking about
I think authors dont intend for us to always know what they are referring to. I think a Lot of authors write what they feel and express it to the reader. Its up to the reader to understand or have a connection with them.
i dont think authors always want the readers to know what theyre thinking. i think some of them are pretty cocky when it comes to how intellectual they are. sometimes i think they actually want us to feel dumb when were reading their books. so we have to continue reading them until we have it all figured out.
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