Wolfe's presence

maa32 · 07 Jun 2002, 23:26 · from urth-v0206.mbox · original

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From: maa32 <maa32 at dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: (urth) Wolfe's presence
Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2002 16:26:57 -0700
Message-ID: <urth-v0206-1175 at digest.urth.net>
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Hey guys, I thought you might find this interesting.  I asked Mr. Wolfe how=
 he=20
felt about guys proposing absurd readings of his texts (I might have myself=
 in=20
mind more than most people on the list, I suppose) and the discussion group=
 in=20
general, and he came back with this equitable reply:

"I rarely check the discussion group.  My feeling is that it's unfair for t=
he=20
author to step in and say nope, I didn't mean that, I meant this.  Besides,=20
the more the author does that, the less interest there will be in the=20
questions.  In other words, yes there is an authoritative interpretation, b=
ut=20
it should be trotted out only in extraordinary cases."

Pretty cool.  The thing that I find the funniest about this discussion grou=
p=20
(which I enjoy immensely and think has some of the finest minds online- hav=
e=20
no doubts there) in particular is how attached we grow to our own=20
interpretations (and how often offhand comments and hasty statements actual=
ly=20
provoke unintended animosity).  Of course I think I am guilty of this, too.=
 =20
It's funny that Mr. Wolfe doesn't seem too concerned with forcing the "righ=
t"=20
interpretation of his work, when he has invested  a lot more in it than us =
(or=20
me - I'll stick to criticizing my own interpretive/iron-fisted stubborn=20
posting).

Have a nice one!
Marc Aramini

--=20

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