2002-06-2-15

mygoalusa

Liberary critic: The meaning of a literary work is not fixed but fluid, and therefore a number of equally valid interpretations of it may be offered. Interpretations primarily involve imposing meaning on a literary work rather than discovering meaning in it, so interpretations need not consider the writer's intentions. Thus, any interpretation of a literary work tells more about the critic than about the writer.

Which one is an assumption?

B. A meaning imposed on a literary work reflects facts about the interpreter.
D. The true intentions of the writer of a work of literature can never be known to a critic of that work.

Key is B, but I chose D, still not get it.

icewarm

Premise: Interperatation = imposing meaning on a literary work
Conclusion: interpretation = critic's view

You need an assumption to link the two
B does that.

Negation test of B: If a meaning imposed on a literary work DOES NOT reflect facts about the interpreter, then the conclusion is dead.

Negation of D does not hurt the conclusion. The premise already said that interpretations need NOT consider the writer's intention. So the writer's intention does not matter at all, whether you know it or not. It's neutral to the conclusion. As long as the interperatation comes from imposed meaning from a critic, the conclusion still stands.

mygoalusa

Thank you Icewarm, makes a lot sense.