Review Of Richard Graff's 'On Closer Examination'
In Graff’s chapter 15 “On Closer Examination”, he explains different ways to interpret writings. Graff speaks about literary criticism and literary analysis. Instead of critics making comments about work they actually help debate and continue writings. Graff writes “Literary critics after all don’t make assertions about literary works out of the blue. Rather, they contribute to discussions and debates about the meaning and significance of literary works, some which may continue for years and even centuries” (185). This aids literary analysis because it helps learn more about the subject. By doing this you can grasp what others think. In the book “They Say I Say”, Graff suggest that you perform an “in-class discussion” so discover what others feel. Doing a class discussion could help open your mind to different ideas.
…show more content…
To interpret a writing you have to identity the author and character.
One reason why you want to identify is so you know what positon the writing is in. Graff argues “But we cannot assume that the “I” who addresses us in a work of fiction or poetry is necessarily the author, for he or she is a fictional character-and one who may be unreliable and trustworthy.”(189) What he means is that depending on what person the story is written in can make different interpretations. Writing something in “I” doesn’t necessary mean that the author is writing about their selves. Another reason to identify the characters is so you can categorize who is trustworthy and who is not. Depending how you view the characters can change how you interpret the story. If you think a charter is untrustworthy you might not believe things he
says.
The last step of literary analysis is to open up on your belief and opinion on the writing. Even though expressing your views can be scary you have to respond what you think and what you think is right. This will help other writers and continue debates for the future. Interpretations can be wrong. Everybody in this room can interpret something differently just because everybody can see something inversely. But that doesn’t mean somebody’s interpretation is completely valid. Graff states that “interpretations are simply unsupported by that evidence.”(196) For example I interpret, “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” I believe that parents received a pair of shoes as a gift and didn’t like them. Because they didn’t like the shoes the baby never wore them and they wanted to sell them. Someone could interpret that the shoes were too small for the baby to wear. But saying that somebody found the shoes on the side of the road is not completely valid.
To interpret a writing you have to identity the author and character.
One reason why you want to identify is so you know what positon the writing is in. Graff argues “But we cannot assume that the “I” who addresses us in a work of fiction or poetry is necessarily the author, for he or she is a fictional character-and one who may be unreliable and trustworthy.”(189) What he means is that depending on what person the story is written in can make different interpretations. Writing something in “I” doesn’t necessary mean that the author is writing about their selves. Another reason to identify the characters is so you can categorize who is trustworthy and who is not. Depending how you view the characters can change how you interpret the story. If you think a charter is untrustworthy you might not believe things he
says.
The last step of literary analysis is to open up on your belief and opinion on the writing. Even though expressing your views can be scary you have to respond what you think and what you think is right. This will help other writers and continue debates for the future. Interpretations can be wrong. Everybody in this room can interpret something differently just because everybody can see something inversely. But that doesn’t mean somebody’s interpretation is completely valid. Graff states that “interpretations are simply unsupported by that evidence.”(196) For example I interpret, “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” I believe that parents received a pair of shoes as a gift and didn’t like them. Because they didn’t like the shoes the baby never wore them and they wanted to sell them. Someone could interpret that the shoes were too small for the baby to wear. But saying that somebody found the shoes on the side of the road is not completely valid.