Prompt #7

Ambiguity is important in art and literature so that people can interpret information and debate on the topic without fear of being wrong. No two people will ever come from the exact same background, with similar experiences and understandings of what surrounds them. This creates a variety of interpretations which can keep discussions and debates lively and interesting. An example of this ambiguity within literature is in chapter 27, where Foster presents a story that the reader is to interpret, and then includes interpretations from college students and then his own. Each of the participants noticed the class tension and “snobbery” that was taking place within the story, but the way that they came to that conclusion weren’t close to one another. For example, one former student referenced the metaphor of “birds and flight,” while Foster himself mentions Greek legend in his analysis. Neither of these interpretations can be considered right or wrong, and are valid as long as the reasoning is somewhat logical.

This can cause issues when those who have heavily studied literature completely disagree on an interpretation of a piece, and discount the ambiguity within the subject. Even after discussing reasoning behind their decision, the “right” answer is just determined by who has the most accolades on their resume. This shows that ambiguity must be embraced for its ability to teach others different perspectives that they otherwise would be unable to learn due to their individual experiences, and those dealing with literature must understand that debates are not made to prove right or wrong, only made for the purpose of learning.