Sunday, July 14, 2019
Question 3
In his book How to Read Literature Like A Professor author Thomas C. Foster describes the idea of intertextuality. Intertextuality in Foster's words means that "everything's connected" (Foster 197). This means that every story ever told shares similarities with other stories and is influenced by those stories. Being able to realize textual connections is a very important step into becoming a more well rounded reader. Textual connections are important because they add another layer of depth to stories, and readers who understand and recognize textual connections are able to view and understand the story on a much deeper level than the average reader. Textual connections enhance reading experiences by drawing comparisons to other books and the tones, moods, and imagery associated with that book. By being able to realize the textual connections between books, it becomes easier to see what the author of the book is trying to convey and also can change the atmosphere of a situation. Intertextuality can be either intentional or serendipitous. Although many times an author will purposefully create similarities to other texts, sometimes the similarities happen by chance and are the product of stories the author has experienced and the way those stories impacted the author. Intertextuality relates to the idea of “one big story” which Foster frequently talks about in his book because intertextuality is part of the way works of literature can interact with each other to create a big story. If texts are connected by intertextuality than they can be considered to be a part of one story because they all draw from each other and are influenced by each other. Intertextuality also appear in the form of symbols and archetypes. In literature roses regularly are made to be symbols of love, this is common across all stories and provides another reason that all stories are connected. In the real world I have noticed intertextuality when someone says that “they can’t wait to meet their Prince Charming” which means they can’t wait to meet the person they were meant to be with. The “mythic level” (Foster 200) is the place where the archetypes, symbols, and narratives are and is somewhere for authors to “tap into” (Foster 200) whenever needed.
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I agree that intertextuality deepens the conversation between readers and writers. However one must decipher the difference between "purpose" and "conscious." I believe that an author can utilize intertextuality subconsciously and still be intentional. After all when you're sleep walking, you have somewhere that you are going, you have purpose. Meaning, intertextuality is always intentional. Also I found you example very interesting. People utilize intertextuality in day to day life weather unconsciously or subconsciously. The arts we witness mold our minds and connect us to the "one big story."
ReplyDeleteI really like your answer - as we begin to read more and more complex literary pieces, we can start forming more textual connections and begin to appreciate better the art of writing. Depending on what type of literature you consume, your textual connections will differ because you will naturally find ones that relate to what you already know, which makes for a unique experience for every reader. Making these connections, like you said, can help us to understand the messages authors convey in their literature and allow us to see beyond what even the author intended for us to take away from their work.
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