Svingos, D. Question 7

Where or how does ambiguity come into play in a reader's experience? How might ambiguity work within a piece of literature (or art of any kind?) How does it impact our understanding, and appreciation of a text?

These questions are covered by Foster in his first interlude “Does He Mean That?”,  which goes over the use of allusions, symbols, allegories, and other ambiguous devices that bring an extra layer of complexity to a text. When a reader has to ask themselves what something means, or if they understood the authors words properly, it means they are reading close enough to actually process the text and are actively seeking the message in the author's words. Ambiguous endings are especially interesting as they raise questions and theories about what might have happened, in contrast to a very straightforward novel which leaves every question answered and stone unturned. While there is something satisfying about a fulfilling book, the ambiguous nature of texts like The Giver by Lois Lowry and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby allows for the reader to create their own ‘moral of the story’. Ambiguity can be present in the form of an unreliable narrator, or the deliberate withholding of key details regarding characters, events, even the setting of a book, anything to make the reader more intrigued and interested in the story’s plot. It can also serve to create a grey area between the protagonist and antagonist—perhaps making the reader question if either archetypes are present in the story at all—and allows for them to fill in the gaps, supplementing the existing story with their own predictions and theories. It’s important to realize that an ambiguous plot or ending is not the same as an ending that cannot be understood. Not knowing and not understanding are two different things in the literary world, as the theme and meaning of a piece can still be greatly understood without complete knowledge of all it’s inner workings, such as a book that ends on a cliffhanger. This type of ambiguous suspense can actually add a layer of appreciation for the authors ability to create such an element of suspense. In a way, the intentional vagueness of certain books can actually lead to a deeper understanding as the gaps are filled in with details unique to the reader, allowing for a greater academic conversation to take place.