[fantasyfan]

Is a good story ever "just" a good story? Surely there are reasons for its quality such as characterization and motive, plot (which is not the same as story-line), irony, both simple and dramatic and the development of theme, to mention a few. These items are analysable just as in the case of other art forms. And this analysis can often reveal greater depths than is apparent on a single reading.

Further, I do not believe that a particular work of Art--such as a short-story--is necessarily limited strictly to the author's conscious intention. The creation can take on a life, identity, beauty, and meaning implicit in itself. Further the reader, listener, viewer recreates the work; Wordsworth refers to

" . . . All the mighty world
Of eye, and ear,--both what they half create
And what perceive . . ."

Thus through the act of imaginative reading which is linked to experience and memory a glowing centre of awareness (to paraphrase Frank O'Connor) is ignited in the reader. And this may well include features not intended by the author. The figure of Satan in Paradise Lost clearly meant one thing in Milton's conscious mind but Shelley got a totally different impression which most certainly was not intended (consciously) by Milton.

So I believe there is a creative aspect to imaginative reading and I think it can be a very wonderful thing indeed and not the bad thing that some possibly seem to be implying.