Comments on: The Death of the Author in the Information Age http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html Reading Pop Culture Like an English Teacher Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:35:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-248 Anonymous Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:42:44 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-248 A show like Lost poses problems for this sort of analysis. A close reading leads to Nietzsche, and in particular his early take on the tension between Apollonian and Dionysian intentions in tragedy. The first "literary criticism" in the text itself suggests that the authors are *supposed* to be paying attention to the impact they are having on their audience, that a close reading is necessarily incomplete, and that there is a feedback loop in play. Plus, this just fits in perfectly with all the other circularity on display in Lost. <br /><br />Because they are known to scour the internet boards for fan reaction, and subsequently "shout out" to the fans through the show itself, there *is* a feedback loop available and quite likely in play for this particular work. Unlike a novel, which is written entirely before it is read, Lost is being written and read with a degree of simultaneity. <br /><br />Furthermore, the authors themselves have given (deliberately) contradictory statements regarding the show. "There is no time travel", and it becomes a time-travel show. "Every prop is intentional," but also, "I wish I could say nothing was randomly put in the show, but I'd be lying." If anything is to be read from authorial comments, it's that the show is intended to be contradictory and paradoxical, and do not trust what the authors have to say about it. Rather, it demands paying attention to what *readers* have to say about it as well.<br /><br />It's quite possible that the writers of a television show (unlike a novel) can have an intention to hold a mirror up to the audience, especially through a "text" that weaves many different and contradictory metaphors without privilege. <br /><br />jane A show like Lost poses problems for this sort of analysis. A close reading leads to Nietzsche, and in particular his early take on the tension between Apollonian and Dionysian intentions in tragedy. The first "literary criticism" in the text itself suggests that the authors are *supposed* to be paying attention to the impact they are having on their audience, that a close reading is necessarily incomplete, and that there is a feedback loop in play. Plus, this just fits in perfectly with all the other circularity on display in Lost.

Because they are known to scour the internet boards for fan reaction, and subsequently "shout out" to the fans through the show itself, there *is* a feedback loop available and quite likely in play for this particular work. Unlike a novel, which is written entirely before it is read, Lost is being written and read with a degree of simultaneity.

Furthermore, the authors themselves have given (deliberately) contradictory statements regarding the show. "There is no time travel", and it becomes a time-travel show. "Every prop is intentional," but also, "I wish I could say nothing was randomly put in the show, but I'd be lying." If anything is to be read from authorial comments, it's that the show is intended to be contradictory and paradoxical, and do not trust what the authors have to say about it. Rather, it demands paying attention to what *readers* have to say about it as well.

It's quite possible that the writers of a television show (unlike a novel) can have an intention to hold a mirror up to the audience, especially through a "text" that weaves many different and contradictory metaphors without privilege.

jane

]]> By: J.Ayers http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-163 J.Ayers Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:31:06 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-163 I think this is one of the reasons authors such as Alan Moore all but shuns the media in regards to their work. He wants it to be in the hands of the reader, it is what you interprete the "moral of the story" to be that is the ultimate climax in plot.<br /><br />Just look at Watchmen for gosh sakes... If that is not a practice in interpretation, I don't know what is. I think this is one of the reasons authors such as Alan Moore all but shuns the media in regards to their work. He wants it to be in the hands of the reader, it is what you interprete the "moral of the story" to be that is the ultimate climax in plot.

Just look at Watchmen for gosh sakes… If that is not a practice in interpretation, I don't know what is.

]]> By: Longasc http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-162 Longasc Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:26:40 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-162 P.S.: Sorry for the grammar! This should not happen while posting in the blog of an english professor. P.S.: Sorry for the grammar! This should not happen while posting in the blog of an english professor.

]]> By: Longasc http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-157 Longasc Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:46:12 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-157 You should know that Wolfgang Iser is the bane of german literature students. He is way too popular at the moment. Roland Barthes proclaimed the "death of the author" in an essay of this or a similar name already in the 1970's IIRC, but for entirely different reasons.<br /><br />Barthes did not know that Wiki's were coming, and the internet in general. The internet and shared knowledge platforms are the true death of the author and the concept of authorship IMO.<br /><br />I am always sceptical when the Wikimedia/pedia foundations assign prizes to various "authors" for "their" articles. The usual criterium is that the major improvements of an article were contributed by that one person that then gets assigned some kind of "author" status. You should know that Wolfgang Iser is the bane of german literature students. He is way too popular at the moment. Roland Barthes proclaimed the "death of the author" in an essay of this or a similar name already in the 1970's IIRC, but for entirely different reasons.

Barthes did not know that Wiki's were coming, and the internet in general. The internet and shared knowledge platforms are the true death of the author and the concept of authorship IMO.

I am always sceptical when the Wikimedia/pedia foundations assign prizes to various "authors" for "their" articles. The usual criterium is that the major improvements of an article were contributed by that one person that then gets assigned some kind of "author" status.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-156 Tesh Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:54:18 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-156 Well, since we're talking about "live" documents like MMOs or even the Harry Potter series, I've noted on more than one occasion where I suspect that the audience reception has changed subsequent product. Readers can't change something that doesn't have a "live team" or a set of sequels on an ongoing basis, but it's eminently possible in things that are still in flux. Well, since we're talking about "live" documents like MMOs or even the Harry Potter series, I've noted on more than one occasion where I suspect that the audience reception has changed subsequent product. Readers can't change something that doesn't have a "live team" or a set of sequels on an ongoing basis, but it's eminently possible in things that are still in flux.

]]> By: We Fly Spitfires http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-155 We Fly Spitfires Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:29:26 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-155 I'm inclined to agree. We've got no idea what Shakespeare was really thinking or intended when he wrote his work but not, well we can clearly see, hear and read what the author's intent was.<br /><br />It's still an interesting subject though because sometimes the work becomes more than the sum of it's parts that no single person can own or control. And when that happens, anything is game. I'm inclined to agree. We've got no idea what Shakespeare was really thinking or intended when he wrote his work but not, well we can clearly see, hear and read what the author's intent was.

It's still an interesting subject though because sometimes the work becomes more than the sum of it's parts that no single person can own or control. And when that happens, anything is game.

]]> By: Beej http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-154 Beej Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:58:33 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-154 @Tesh: I don't think that a reader's response can change authorial intent. I think it can impact how a person reads the text and the impact it has, but as far as the message the author intended to give or the metaphors used to drive the themes home are always going to be in the author's domain and not the readers. That is not to say that the reader cannot find unintended metaphors, but I think that if they do, they cannot be fundamentally contradictory to what the author intentionally put in.<br /><br />@BFU rector: I do love the idea of misunderstanding the author's intent because of a synthesis of separate connotation/denotations. I hadn't really thought about that before. I had thought of misunderstanding the text, obviously, but that takes it from an angle I really want to try and wrap my mind around. @Tesh: I don't think that a reader's response can change authorial intent. I think it can impact how a person reads the text and the impact it has, but as far as the message the author intended to give or the metaphors used to drive the themes home are always going to be in the author's domain and not the readers. That is not to say that the reader cannot find unintended metaphors, but I think that if they do, they cannot be fundamentally contradictory to what the author intentionally put in.

@BFU rector: I do love the idea of misunderstanding the author's intent because of a synthesis of separate connotation/denotations. I hadn't really thought about that before. I had thought of misunderstanding the text, obviously, but that takes it from an angle I really want to try and wrap my mind around.

]]> By: Tesh http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-153 Tesh Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:12:23 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-153 So what about when the reader response *changes* the author's intent? Who, then is the "author"? Does *that* change critical analysis? So what about when the reader response *changes* the author's intent? Who, then is the "author"? Does *that* change critical analysis?

]]> By: BFU rector http://www.professorbeej.com/2009/07/death-of-author-in-information-age.html/comment-page-1#comment-151 BFU rector Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:23:39 +0000 http://professorbeej.com/2009/07/the-death-of-the-author-in-the-information-age.html#comment-151 If a reader can separate their personal connotations and denotations of a work, than they can separate the author's. You end up with four meanings, synthesis creates a personal understanding (or misunderstanding) of a writer's intent. If a reader can separate their personal connotations and denotations of a work, than they can separate the author's. You end up with four meanings, synthesis creates a personal understanding (or misunderstanding) of a writer's intent.

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