Comments on: The Marriage of Writers and Readers http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:33:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: bhenricksen http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-26 bhenricksen Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:40:39 +0000 http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-26 Many kids arrive at their first college lit. class with the notion that a poem can mean whatever they want it to mean. We have nutjobs who say the same about the U.S. Constitution or the Bible, but usually we behave as though words mean what the speaker or writer intended. In a book called Validity in Interpretation, E.D. Hirsch says that readers should try to discover that intention. When they do it well, they will agree about the meaning. On the other hand, readers may disagree about a book or poem's significance, since we don't all share the same values. I think the difference between meaning and significance is worth keeping in mind when we talk about books. Many kids arrive at their first college lit. class with the notion that a poem can mean whatever they want it to mean. We have nutjobs who say the same about the U.S. Constitution or the Bible, but usually we behave as though words mean what the speaker or writer intended.

In a book called Validity in Interpretation, E.D. Hirsch says that readers should try to discover that intention. When they do it well, they will agree about the meaning. On the other hand, readers may disagree about a book or poem’s significance, since we don’t all share the same values. I think the difference between meaning and significance is worth keeping in mind when we talk about books.

]]> By: kitty http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-25 kitty Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:35:07 +0000 http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-25 I'm reading a booked called "Conversations with Kurt Vonnegut," where he repeatedly discussed the importance of being constantly mindful of the reader. This is the first time I had any idea what he was talking about. I, too, am nearly ineducable on this subject, but I think I'm starting to get it. At least I know I love the poem. I’m reading a booked called “Conversations with Kurt Vonnegut,” where he repeatedly discussed the importance of being constantly mindful of the reader. This is the first time I had any idea what he was talking about.
I, too, am nearly ineducable on this subject, but I think I’m starting to get it.
At least I know I love the poem.

]]> By: bhenricksen http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-24 bhenricksen Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:31:30 +0000 http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-24 You're a tough person to educate, Skipster--I had roomfuls of you when I taught. But thanks for picking the right part of the blog to like! You’re a tough person to educate, Skipster–I had roomfuls of you when I taught. But thanks for picking the right part of the blog to like!

]]> By: Skipster http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-23 Skipster Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:31:56 +0000 http://losthillsbooks.com/blog/2008/06/08/on-writers-and-readers/#comment-23 Now, you know I only like the opening superlative chapter to that Calvino book, the rest is redundant tripe, in my high opinion (of myself)...so, you lost this 'reader' with that opening "wonderful novel" statement. And then you went and wrote that cinnaminnamon-like word 'phenomenology'...eeeh gads! My mind doesn't even want to enunciate that, let alone my tongue. So, thank goodness you lovingly went and sent my mind off to a peaceful spot by the lake and, then, set me adrift from all of this readerly work I was mired within. Now, you know I only like the opening superlative chapter to that Calvino book, the rest is redundant tripe, in my high opinion (of myself)…so, you lost this ‘reader’ with that opening “wonderful novel” statement.

And then you went and wrote that cinnaminnamon-like word ‘phenomenology’…eeeh gads! My mind doesn’t even want to enunciate that, let alone my tongue.

So, thank goodness you lovingly went and sent my mind off to a peaceful spot by the lake and, then, set me adrift from all of this readerly work I was mired within.

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