Author-function
In the second chapter of his book The Order of Books, Roger Chartier deconstructs the way that past and present readers think of authors of texts. He uses Foucault’s term “author-function,” which Foucault used in his famous essay “What is an Author?,” to describe this concept.
“Author-function” is an elusive term. In essence, it refers to the way that a reader’s concept of the "author" functions in his reading of a text. His interpretation of a text is shaped by his understanding of its author. Without any concept of who the author of a text is, it is easy to develop many different interpretations of that text. However, in light of an author’s gender, ethnicity, time period, political leanings, or other applicable known information, the text often leans toward one plausible interpretation. For example, a reader’s interpretation of Invisible Man is greatly colored by her knowledge of its author Ralph Ellison as a black man fighting racial discrimination. Her interpretation of the same novel would be quite different if the author was really a white person with a history of racist action. Modern readers rely heavily on their knowledge of a text’s author, often without realizing it, to shape their interpretations of that text.
Necessary to a more complete understanding of the concept of author-function is an understanding of the social function of authors through the ages which Chartier lays out in “Figures of the Author.” Chartier agrees with Foucault, an influential literary theorist who claims that the author-function changed in the 19th century when copyright laws were established. With these new laws, “a system of ownership came into being . . . strict rules concerning author’s rights, author-publisher relations, rights of reproduction, and related matters were enacted” (qtd. in Chartier 30). In other words, with copyright laws, the author was seen as the source of information and was given credit (and money) for that information. Chartier agrees that author-function did change with these changing ideas of information as property, but he claims that the idea of the author-function is older and broader.
According to Chartier, there is evidence that the author served a functional role in the reading of texts in Medieval Europe (31, 59). Foucault acknowledges that in the Middle Ages, anonymous authorship of “literary” texts was common, while the veracity of scientific texts was judged by the authority of the text’s author (31).
Graff gave an example of the author is directly speaking in the text in Don’t Blame The Eater, by using “I” (189). Another example he showed was in The Cask of Amontillado and in this case when the author used “I” he was not the narrator in this case, but the narrator was a character in the story(189). Graff suggests that one should look carefully at the work to identify the speaker. According to Graff, a tactic that can be used to identify the meaning of a literary work is to look at the conflict in it. Graff writes, “look for the conflict or debate in the literary work itself and then ask what the text is leading us to think about that conflict” (191). Then he suggest asking some questions to help the reader take a position on the meaning of the work. He emphasizes that the meaning of a literary work is always arguable and one should argue for what they thinks it means. He also included some templates to help starts to respond to others
Genette, Gerard. "Order in Narrative". Literature in the Modern World. Dennis Walder, ed. Oxford University Press, N.Y. 1990. 142-151.
As we have learned already, the author of a text has a purpose. This purpose may be to inform, entertain or to persuade, among many other purposes. In order to determine the author purpose one must first know what it is that they are reading. If you are reading a textbook, the author wants to inform you. If you are reading a story, the author wants to entertain you. If you are reading a brochure or speech, the author wants to persuade you.
Nyren, Dorothy, ed. A Library of Literary Criticism: Modern American Literature. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1971.
For the purpose of research and measurement of the scholars interpretive analysis skills, the scholar has chosen to critique work by Ralph Ellison entitled “Battle Royal”. In this paper, one will find what it means to be invisible. I argue from two different perspectives regarding who is invisible in the novel, and to whom those revealed persons are invisible to. Revealed will also be themes discovered throughout the story along with the authors use of irony that’s revealed in the work. In this work one will find supporting text from scholars who have taken issue with stereotyping, race relations in society along with one’s who have also critiqued Ellison’s work.
For our last assignment in English 253, the major essay, we were assigned to analyze some of the concepts and concerns involved in a novel from the past semester. Our task at hand was to select from a topic and develop a more in-depth understanding of the chosen novel, and exactly how the literature involved in the novel is significant. I decided to choose the first option available in order to complete this essay. Since we’re supposed to investigate the accuracy of the represented ways in the chosen novel, I decided to write about the novel Invisible Man. I chose the novel Invisible Man because it is literally perfect for this assignment. I am fully appreciative of the fact that it is extremely hard for any author to publish a novel that does not sway from the “real” history being referenced. Also, I do not believe that Ellison necessarily wrote this novel with intentions to include exact characteristics of the past, or in an ahistorical way. However, throughout the text of the novel Invisible Man, there are several examples, references, and symbols that Ralph Ellison respectively included on purpose. In this essay, my investigation will prove why or why not the real-life social and political ideology involved in the literature of Invisible Man, is accurately or inaccurately depicted.
"I no longer believe that the author has a sort of patria potestas over his brainchildren. Once they are printed they have reached their majority and the author has no more authority over them, knows no more about them, perhaps knows less about them than the critic who comes fresh to them, and sees them not as the author hoped they would be, but as what they are" (45).
Magill, Frank. Survey of American Literature. Vol. 6 Ste-Z 1885-2224. Marshall Cavendish Co. New York. Copyright 1991. Edited by Frank Magill.
Everyone comes from their own background, and has their own opinions about the world around them. They bring those thoughts and prejudices with them into every text they read, meaning they see what they expect to see. The author claims that close reading leads to ethical reading, ethical reading meaning the reader is listening to the author’s voice within the text, truly understanding and listening to that which the author is saying. Close reading forces the reader to temporarily abandon their preconceptions and “by concentrating on the details, we disrupt our projection; we are forced to see what is really there” (Gallop p.11). The author provides some historical context, in relation to the “new criticism” method of teaching. Between the 1950’s and 1970’s new criticism, “allowed students to appreciate the complexity of literary writing, to see the artful work, rather than merely themes and ideas.” (Gallop p.13). The issue with new criticism being that only “great” works or authors were considered “worthy” of analysis in that manner. Unfortunately, most work that was considered “great” within that period were written by men of European descent. Within the past few decades the multicultural movement has made reading lists in schools more diverse, making understanding the voice of authors more important than ever, as to not reinforce stereotypes and
...dless of what I am trying to accomplish. I feel that I am much better now, in persuading someone through my writings; which would definitely come in handy in the future. The responsibility I have gained during this experience is incredible and has taught me to be a much more organized person. During this semester I was taught a process of how to write a paper and organize it. I found that all of these responsibilities have made me realize that I could definitely take the next step forward in my academic career. Each new experience I involve myself in has made me continue to grow and constantly learn something new. I am someone who has never really enjoyed English classes in the past and I when I registered for English 101 I only saw it as a requirement to graduate but I really did enjoy this English course and I know that it was something that was worthwhile for me.
Novels often depict realistic situations and outlooks on life. This enables the reader to view and learn about different aspects of life through the author’s depictions. Authors expose world issues and their opinions through their novels and create stories about them. In the novel, The Book of Negroes, Lawrence Hill exposes the issue of racial discrimination through a fictional character named Aminata. The protagonist is abducted into slavery and experiences hardships, tragedies, oppression, and betrayal. She encounters the many horrors and obstacles of the world in her long journey to freedom. Aminata’s story captures the truth behind other people in terms of their treatment and judgment of the unfamiliar. Hill’s novel effectively exposes
Armand Maurer. Being and Knowing: Studies in Thomas Aquinas and Later Medieval Philosophers, Papers in Mediæval Studies, no. 10. Pontifical Institute of Mediæval Studies, Toronto : 1990.
The notion of the author has often been disputed when it comes to critical literary studies. The argument centers around one basic question: Should the author be considered when looking at a text? There are numerous reasons given as to why the author is important or why the ...
off of just one host but very few predators can feed on the same prey(1973). In
Klinkowitz, Jerome and Patricia B Wallace. The Norton Anthology of Americal Literature. Seventh. Vol. Volume D. New York City: Norton, 2007, 2003, 1998, 1994, 1989, 1985, 1979. 5 vols.