English 12 / Unit 7: Literary Criticism and Analysis
7.6 Reader-Response Criticism and Applying a Lens
Notes
Reader-response criticism says meaning is created in the interaction between the reader and the text. Different readers, with different experiences, may interpret the same text differently.
- Questions: How did I react? What expectations did I bring? What does the text invite me to feel or notice?
- Responses still need textual support; not every reading is equally well supported.
- To write a lens-based analysis: state the lens, make a claim, give evidence from the text, explain how the evidence supports the claim, and consider what the lens leaves out.
Practice
A reader-response critic would most likely ask:
Reader-response emphasizes the reader's role.
Two students read the same ending and have different reactions based on their own experiences. A reader-response critic would say:
Meaning arises from interaction, but readings should still be supported.
Which sentence best applies a lens in an analysis?
It names the lens, uses a text detail and explains its meaning.
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