Book•
The Implied Reader: Patterns of Communication in Prose Fiction from Bunyan to Beckett
01 Jan 1974-
TL;DR: Iser as mentioned in this paper analyzed major works of English fiction ranging from Bunyan, Fielding, Scott, and Thackeray to Joyce and Beckett, and provided a framework for a theory of such literary effects and aesthetic responses.
Abstract: Like no other art form, the novel confronts its readers with circumstances arising from their own environment of social and historical norms and stimulates them to assess and criticize their surroundings. By analyzing major works of English fiction ranging from Bunyan, Fielding, Scott, and Thackeray to Joyce and Beckett, renowned critic Wolfgang Iser here provides a framework for a theory of such literary effects and aesthetic responses. Iser's focus is on the theme of discovery, whereby the reader is given the chance to recognize the deficiencies of his own existence and the suggested solutions to counterbalance them. The content and form of this discovery is the calculated response of the reader -- the implied reader. In discovering the expectations and presuppositions that underlie all his perceptions, the reader learns to "read" himself as he does the text.
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TL;DR: Agha et al. as discussed by the authors discuss the construals of personal/social identity as they appear in the communicative transactions of three protagonists of novels, focusing on two types of dialogue as the key linguistic factor correlating with the occurrence of different social personae in the process of identity negotiation.
Abstract: is paper discusses the construals of personal/social identity as they appear in the communicative transactions of three protagonists of novels. In my use of the term, reflexive construal represents both the act of shaping and interpreting identity while it is still in progress within an ongoing communicative event. Herein, denotational/ referential and interactional success (see Agha 2007) are two discrete phenomena whose co-occurrence is realised through the dynamism of differing degrees of referential appropriateness and semiotic effectiveness that are in a relation of reciprocal proportion. I attempt to outline a semiotically mediated model of social role inhabitance, focusing on two types of dialogue as the key linguistic factor correlating with the occurrence of varieties of social personae in the process of identity negotiation. ese varieties are the representations of the protagonists’ potential social authenticities within the framework of fictional texts. My data seem to suggest that communicative dynamism in its textually extended pattern is maintained by the interdependence between the dialogue organisation and message structure. Alteration to the typical pattern of the former will result in alteration in the pattern of the latter, while maintaining the basic principle of distribution of degrees of communicative dynamism among the elements of these organisation types.
Cites background from "The Implied Reader: Patterns of Com..."
...…by some form of dialogue, the internal type is primarily characterised by the speaker being their own addressee, while the implied reader (Iser 1974) with their “horizon of expectations” (Jauss 23) is the omnipresent recipient as well (see example 5 below), and the external by the…...
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30 Oct 2020
Dissertation•
26 May 2011
TL;DR: Gorton et al. as mentioned in this paper presented a portfolio of work, based on the popular "pastoral cycle" approach, exploring this possibility and establishing a way forward for developing a more accessible and engaging method to 'tell the story'.
Abstract: The University of ManchesterCatriona Julie Mae GortonMaster of PhilosophyDenominational History as a Resource for Theological Reflection on Church HealthYear of Submission: 2011?Knowledge of their past will inform the decisions [Baptists] take today which will shape their tomorrow.? These words of Baptist historian Barrie White along with some from Archbishop Rowan Williams, that to ?engage with the Church?s past is to see something of the Church?s future? which ?makes for the health of the church?? lie at the heart of my thesis that denominational history has the potential to form a valuable and engaging resource for theological reflection within the field usually termed church health, and specifically in the consideration of change, actual or potential, in pastoral practice. As a Practical Theologian, central to my approach is a belief that such reflection should be undertaken by and for the people who make up local congregations. My particular interest is in assisting local churches (congregations) to approach and manage change in ways that avoid the potential for destructive conflict: might it be that examples from denominational history form a valuable resource for reflection on processes that might be employed to approach contemporary issues? An initial survey of materials suggests that it might, but that in its current form it is largely inaccessible (literally and in relation to how it is presented). This submission presents a portfolio of work, based on the popular 'pastoral cycle' approach, exploring this possibility and establishing a way forward for developing a more accessible and engaging method to 'tell the story'.After a thorough literature, which presents an overview of developments in the disciplines of church health and history alongside an outline of readily available Baptist history, my publishable article develops a renewed vision for the Baptist Historical Society, the voluntary body which produces the majority of UK Baptist historical writing, taking account of insights gained. Specifically, the potential for a more narrative/literary approach with a recovery of theological/spiritual language is identified as a way forward in increasing accessibility and usability of this rich resource in the way I advocate. Three possible approaches to developing resources are identified and explored in the research proposal, ranging from almost entirely empirical to totally theoretical, with justification of why each constitutes Practical Theology. Emphasis shifts away from the central thesis in the reflective paper which explores questions of 'readers' and 'writers' in relation to my own work as a researcher and a practical theologian. A final reflection, in lieu of a conclusion, draws threads together and affirms my conviction that denominational history has the potential to provide a rich and fruitful resource for theological reflection in the area of church health.