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The Life of Texts ch. 2 summary
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This is a summary of The Life of Texts chapter 2, divided into clear sections. The most important terms are all included in this summary.
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Chapter 2: The Many Dimensions of Literature2.1 Introduction: Durable Texts
Image epitomises today’s difficulties through one of the most famous literary characters
Some texts are capable of leading lives beyond the singular context of their creation: they
appeal over time to new readers and prove applicable to the understanding of new
situations
Literary texts are not bound to a single moment; they can be reread & interpreted differently
in different contexts
Literariness lies in the fact that some texts acquire a value which is independent of their
practical applicability
Display text: a text that has acquired a value in and of itself
Durability of texts comes from the interaction of several factors:
o Textual characteristics poetic vs. narrative
o Effect of a text on its reader reflection vs. pleasure
o Status ascribed to the text by cultural authorities classification, valuation & canon
formation
2.2 Poetic Language
Poetic function: a text’s ability to draw attention to its own status as a text – as expression
Every speech act consists of 6 elements which all have different functions:
o Sender expressive
o Receiver conative
o Code (language) phatic
o Contact between sender & receiver metalingual
o Worldly context referential
o Message itself poetic
Poetic language implies non-standard usage that is striking because of the perceived skill
level of the user
2.3 Narrative
Narratives make up an important part of literature conceived in terms of cultural durability
Stories are a rich source of virtual experiences
Fictionality is the principle that public, in certain conditions, engages willingly in a game of
make-believe, granting the storyteller an implicit license to invent things
2.4 Reflection
Texts can become durable if they remain relevant to our intellectual lives by dealing with
existential or moral themes that define our understanding of the world
Texts that deal with universal themes can withstand the test of time by appealing to readers
as reflective beings
Defamiliarization gives literature a critical function: through its unusual forms, it resists
commonplaces & experiments with new ways of seeing familiar things
Singularity: an encounter with something unique which is the product of creativity
2.5 Pleasure
The appeal of narratives seems inextricably tied to the feelings they arouse “affect”
A lot of reading & viewing behavior is motivated by a wish to lose oneself in a virtual world
Aesthetic experience is a more detached form of pleasure
2.6 Classification: Genres
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