Prompt 4
When
Foster says that “reading is an event of the imagination” he means that when
reading a book, one’s imagination will interpret the author’s words in diverse
ways. While the author’s main purpose will usually remain the same in the
reader’s head, readers will relate the text to their own experiences and own
thinking, creating a new way of seeing the author’s work. For example, when an
author describes a scene, the reader will often relate the author’s description
to something they may have seen, such as when an author describes a mountainous
area I often think of West Virginia scenery, or when they are describing a
character I will relate their description to someone I know or have seen.
Through readers creating scenes in their head based off individual experiences
they will see the text in a different light than others, thus creating a new
way of interpreting the author’s words on a personal level. This is the art of
literature, for authors essentially create an outline, and it is up to the
reader to fill in the rest based on their own ideas and connections, thus
creating a vast array of interpretations and meanings in the author’s texts,
impacting everyone differently and causing different emotions based on
different readers experiences. A good author intentionally makes their books
subject to reader’s interpretations, for they want each reader to personally
relate to the text to both get the author’s main point across and to get the
reader to continue turning the pages.
It is very interesting to take a look at the psychology of how readers fill in the blanks with things they know. Like you said, many readers use places they know or faces they recognize, but it goes even beyond that. Just about everything someone imagines is just a composite of other things they have seen/heard/felt/etc. That is why people cannot imagine a brand new color, for instance. This is part of what makes literature a unique art form, in my opinion. The author cannot show the reader anything new, they have to use their words carefully to construct something beautiful out of the old parts laying around in the reader’s head. Their job is as a guide for the reader’s interpretation. In a well-written book, everybody who reads it has their own unique and beautiful imagery dancing through their head.
ReplyDeleteReading will always become "an event of the imagination." Two people can each read a single sentence and understand, imagine, and interpret it differently than the other. So much goes into a reading experience that the other does not include. The time period or someone's walk of life changes how any piece of literature is read. One person can read the same thing at two different places in their life and get two completely different things out of it. Some much more than the words on the page go into a reader's reading experience.
ReplyDeleteThis can affect how readers perceive a character's personality as well. A character who would remind me of my brother would be short tempered, rude, and intolerant. Another person would despise the character, but I would find it difficult to feel hatred toward them. Likewise, a good natured character could remind a reader of someone they dislike, and that character might become a negative person in their mind. In life, we already quickly connect people to people we already know before we properly know them. This causes people to sometimes feel the opposite way the author wants them to feel about the story.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of bringing up the idea of the West Virginia scenery, because when I read about a scene taking place in the mountains, I always picture West Virginia because that is what I relate to best, which also ties into where you mentioned readers interpret readings differently based on experiences. Our own individuality helps to create an image catering to how we believe it to be. As said in the previous comments a character can be introduced to us and we gather an image of this character based upon people we have encountered, which could make for a negative or positive experience.
ReplyDeleteEthan,
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how you think of our state when you hear mountains. It shows what the reader has experienced and truly does affect how they interprets things. I also love how you compare the characters to the people you know. I typically make up characters in my mind or think of celebrities to create that comparison. As for setting, I create that as well. Next time I read I want to try your strategy, perhaps it will help me interpret things differently. It’s so interesting to hear how others learn and interpret things.
I find your description of how readers imagine settings similar to what they are familiar with. I have personally noticed when an author describes a character being in their house I tend to imagine it having a similar layout as mine until further detail is given. Another interesting aspect of this is that as an author adds more detail to these setting they become less personal for the reader. You give the example of mountainous areas reminding you of West Virginia scenery but if the author were to add details such as the height of the mountains or the environment surrounding them you have to substitute what you originally imagined with what the author is describing. The result is an idea that is different from what the author first thought and what the reader first thought since both are imaginations are interacting through the text.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that “reading is an event of the imagination”. No two people can envision the same thing when reading the same book because each person has experienced different things and therefore can't have the exact same thoughts as someone else. I feel that people will imagine settings to places that they know. Whenever I read a book and the character is at school, I envision their school to be similar to Huntington High, because it is what I am familiar with. I usually struggle with characters themselves though, usually picturing them as faceless people no matter how detailed the description may be (which is slightly eerie).
ReplyDelete