‘Canonicity’: the Book or the Reader?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bb

Hmm. I am not aware that I have claimed I know the real intention behind this tower.

It wasn't aimed at you - stop trying to catch the spears

But that is not the same thing as 'claiming to know the 'real' intention behind it.' I am talking about education in artistic method, not archeology.

'Education in artistic method' sounds a bit deadly....

It is possible to have a meaningful personal experience of a work of Art without knowing what or how the author wanted me to experience. This does not mean the author's intention is irrelevant, but that it is not crucial to the aesthetic experience. At least, intention as explained not in the story itself but in a prose explication written after the fact.

As I've argued myself, & I would hold that experience as primary & most important - but that's not what we're arguing about in this thread...

Originally Posted by Thenamir

In my opinion, which I'm sure will be debated hereafter , this is a thread which should have been closed a year ago.

You just don't like to see people having fun, obviously. We all know very well what we're doing here, that it is never going to get anywhere. The purpose of this thread is twofold - one, to see in how many ways we can all repeat ourselves, & two, to see how long we can keep it going.

Oh, there is the 'annoying' newbies (to this thread, at least) thing which adds a little spice.....