The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic ResponseBy defining what happens during the act of reading, that is, how aesthetic experience is initiated, develops, and functions, Iser's book provides the first systematic framework for assessing the communicatory function of a literary text within the context from which it arises. It is an important work that will appeal to those interested in the reading process, aesthetic theory, literary criticism, and basic theoretical aspects of the novel. Book jacket. |
Contents
The Lingering of the Classical Norm of Interpretation | 10 |
THE RUDIMENTS OF A THEORY OF AESTHETIC RESPONSE | 20 |
The ReaderOriented Perspective and Traditional Objections 20 Readers | 27 |
Copyright | |
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action activity actually aesthetic already appears arises aspects background basic become begins blanks brings called characters clearly communication comprehension concept concretization connections consciousness consists constitutes context continually critic describe effect elements enables established example existing expectations experience extent fact familiar fiction Fielding follows formulated frame function gestalt give given historical human idea important individual intention interaction interpretation knowledge language lead linguistic literary text literature longer meaning mind nature negation negative norms novel object observation offered past perception perspectives position possible potential present problems produced question reaction reader reading reality reference regarded relation remains repertoire represented response result segments selected sense sentence shows significance signs simply situation social specific speech structure text and reader textual theme theory thing thought tion transformation turn utterance viewpoint whole