Saturday, July 13, 2019
Question 7, Elizabeth McGuffey
For a piece of art (whether it be literature, a painting, or even a song) to be ambiguous, it means that it doesn’t have one distinct meaning; it can have multiple meanings for multiple different people. In literature, the ambiguity can be found in certain symbols, themes, or plot points. The interpretation of these rely on the reader’s personal experiences. Two people, who come from different backgrounds, can see the same symbol and come up with completely different meanings for it. Sometimes, symbols are left ambiguous on purpose in order to get the reader to question their meaning. An example of this can be found in the chapter “Is That a Symbol?”, when Foster uses the cave from the book A Passage to India. The cave is an ambiguous symbol because it doesn’t have one true meaning; Foster gives several examples of what it could mean, such as Adela being confronted by how hypocritical her life and choices are or what Foster calls a “…breach of truth (in a more traditional philosophical tradition)” (Foster 109). Ambiguity also helps a book remain interesting years after its publication. If a novel had only one straightforward meaning, discussion could become boring because there’s no room to find different meanings. However, if a book has details that could be interpreted in different ways, the discussion becomes more enjoyable because readers now have the ability to see how others think and feel and understand. An example that I think everyone can relate with is when we read The Handmaid’s Tale in AP Lang. The ending of the novel was left purposefully up in the air and it was extremely interesting to see how other students understood the ending while using details from the book to back up their thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree with your point that two people will see different meanings in the same symbol. We learned in AP Lang that as long as we have evidence to back up an idea, then there is technically no wrong answers. Everyone's interpretation differs. Also your point about ambiguity is eye opening. Looking back, the pieces of art that stand the test of time are commonly ambiguous. Ambiguity produces conflicting perspectives, which creates conversations. Of course, allegories have strengths in their own right as the Foster says, "Such simplicity of purpose has its advantages. George Orwell's Animal Farm (1945) is popular among many readers precisely because it's relatively easy to figure out what it all means" (Foster 105). Allegories can also develop interesting conversations, but usually ask how the message relates to the world, instead of what is the message.
ReplyDeleteThe point made stating that ambiguity is what keeps readers captivated really strikes home, because it is true that books would appear dull and lifeless if there was no room for reader interpretation. As stated above, people synthesize different meanings based on their own experiences, and if a book only had one intended meaning than that would not allow readers to become connected to the text on a personal level and there would be no need for the book to be examined and discussed because everyone would know exactly how they were supposed to interpret the book. Reading is fun because people find similarities between the book and their life, so when the book has no room for interpretation than the audience shrinks to a small amount of people who would appreciate the text. The examples mentioned, such as the cave and “The Handmaid's Tale” (it would not italicize), are perfect for this prompt because they both show the importance of ambiguity, as it provokes thought, self-understanding, and discussion in readers, all critical parts of literature.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you in that creating an ambiguous text allows for it to be carried on throughout generations. I am especially glad that you mentioned in-class conversation, seeing as, although we do not span across generations, the students in our classrooms come from many different cultures and socio-economic statuses and belief systems, and for us all to be able to come together to discuss one body of literature is truly special. There is something to be said about the way in which ambiguous text includes a little something for all of us that we may bond over. I feel like this is especially true in the music industry, in that many songs which may have otherwise been written about romance or the personal struggles of the musician, the audience may interpret it however they want to and often associate it with a personal moment in their life or may play the song when they are feeling a certain emotion. These emotions are timeless and cross-cultural and can be said for any work of literature or art. In addition, ambiguous literature almost gives us an outlet for these emotions in which we may interpret them more fully amongst other characters or stories and share them with our peers as I hope we will be doing in AP Literature this upcoming year.
ReplyDeleteI like that you pointed out how many different literary aspects of a story, like symbols or the plot, can be ambiguous. The idea—that ambiguity is not found in one single element of a story, rather it's found in multiple scattered throughout the text—is ambiguous in itself and reflective of one of Foster’s core ideas in his guide book: the audience’s imagination is crucial in determining the true meaning of a piece of literature and there are many different, unique interpretations. I also appreciate how you mentioned different aspects of literary merit, like a book remaining relevant and interesting years after publication and a story that promotes discussion. Like you said, The Handmaid’s Tale is a good example of this and it produced many intelligent and relevant discussions involving the fictional and realistic applications of the text to our contemporary society.
ReplyDelete