Quote:
Originally Posted by Deskisamess
Wow. One of the most interesting things I've read in a long while. As a reader, I've sometimes felt that I wasn't always up to the challenge of seeing the symbolism in some books. It's nice to now understand that what I thought was necessary is not only not necessary, but not desired by many authors.
That the searching and groping for hidden meanings in a work, can pull the enjoyment right out of the thing.
I do love hearing an author's own feelings on their characters. But after I've finished a book, not before.
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But it does keep English professors employed.
I'm reminded of the famous story of the SF author who sat in the back of a college English lecture about his book and listened to the professor talk about all the symbolism in the book. The author stood up and said "That's not what I meant at all". The Professor replied "What do you know? You are just the author." [I first heard the story with Issac Asimov as the author. I suspect the story is apocryphal, but it sure ought to be true]