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Learning about Reader Response Theory

  • Page ID
    186523
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    Learning about Reader Response Theory

     

    Watch the YouTube video at the link below:

    Reader Response: A Film

    The first critical theory we’ll examine is reader response theory.  Basically, if someone believes in reader response theory, they believe that the real meaning of any text is NOT in the text itself.  The true meaning is somewhere between the person reading the words and the words themselves.  Every reader brings all sorts of experiences to a given text and those experiences will impact how they interpret what happens in the story.  For reader response theory, the real meaning is not from the author.  It’s from the reader.

    Take a few moments to scan the article attached below and gain a deeper understanding of reader response theory.  As you scan, look for these key ideas:

    • What do reader response theorists believe?
    • What kinds of questions would a reader response theorist ask about a text?

    Then take a moment and watch the video on the left.  It'll help you gain an even better perspective on what reader response theory is all about.

    After you view the video, you should be able to answer the following questions:

    • Why do we use reader response theory to read literature?
    • How do we write using reader response theory?

     

     



    Learning about Reader Response Theory is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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