An Analysis of The Intentional Fallacy, by Wimsatt and...

In their essay, ‘The Intentional Fallacy’ (1946), William K. Wimsatt Jr. and Monroe C. Beardsley, two of the most eminent figures of the New Criticism school of thought of Literary Criticism, argue that the ‘intention’ of the author is not a necessary factor in the reading of a text. During the time-period when they authored this essay, the commonly held notion amongst people was that â€Å"In order to judge the poet’s performance, we must know what he intended.†, and this notion led to what is termed the ‘Intentional fallacy’. However, Wimsatt and Beardsley argue that the intention, i.e., the design or plan in the author’s mind, of the author is neither available nor desirable for judging the success of a work of literary art. It†¦show more content†¦Apart from asserting the fact that the text in itself and not the authorial intention is the main factor in understanding a text, Wimsatt and Beardsley go on to state that â€Å"the poem is not the critic’s own and not the author’s. The poem belongs to the public.† Now, if the poet/ author’s intention is the yardstick of measuring and judging the poem/text, then that implies that the poem/text is the poet/author’s and, in turn, the critic’s who is judging the poet/author’s intention and how far it has become effective in the poem/text. Wimsatt and Beardsley counter this by saying that the text is separated from the author right from the moment of its birth. It has an existence of its own in the world and in a way that is beyond the power of the author to control or to even think of controlling- it exists so that its readers can read it and examine its value. The text is written using language which is a possession of the public and is about issues which can be easily related to by human beings who are objects of public knowledge. And, every reader applies his/her own method and knowledge of the lan guage and universal human values to assess the text they read; these methods and degree of knowledge are completely distinct from that of the author’s which constitutes the author’s intention. Thus, Wimsatt and Beardsley are not wrong inShow MoreRelatedRomantic Conception of Authorship2116 Words   |  8 Pagesauthor to write (Beardsley Wimsatt, 1972, p. 334). The notion of intention can be seen as the central of the studies of the Romantic conception of authorship as only author will understand why they intend to insert their experiences into their literary work. The intention is basically the reason that cause the authors to produce literary works. Intention has â€Å"corresponds to what he intended in a formula which more or less explicitly has had wide acceptance† (Beardsley Wimsatt, 1972, p. 334). Read MoreCleanth Brookss Essay Irony as a Principle of Structure9125 Words   |  37 PagesMarx’s economic theories as such: we shall confine our discu ssion to their methodological premises and implications. It will in any case be obvious to the reader that the present writer upholds the validity of their content. Secondly, a detailed analysis of Rosa Luxemburg’s thought is necessary because its seminal discoveries no less than its errors have had a decisive influence on the theories of Marxists outside Russia, above all in Germany. To some extent this influence persists to this day. For

Slavery The Old Testament - 4666 Words

Slavery in Exodus 21-The Old Testament deemed to be a common practice. Modern readers should gain understanding like other nation, slavery was rampant and flourished in the Israelites, but the biblical slavery is very different from the modern slavery. The old testament lacks slavery condemnation but it has a clear teaching on ethical treatment of slaves, which was part of the culture of the surrounding nations. Slavery in the bible in the time of the Jews was not an exploitation act but rather an act of enabling the poor to provide for themselves. The word slave was used in referring to various forms of servile situations, not the slave familiar to many modern bible readers. In the ancient Israel, the â€Å"slave† referred to both a person who is under the masters’ law and to any subordinate person in the social status ladder. Westbrook lists subjects of a king, heads of households, debtors volunteering to service to pay their debts and non-citizens to be examples of s ervile situations encompassed in Israel in the ancient times. The bible engages the reader in many passages regarding slavery and further tells one how to obtain the slaves, how they should be treated, and how to draw the moral and ethical line between a slave male and female slave. The problem as per exodus 21: 2-11 Exodus 21 tackles a quite difficult topic of slavery as it applied in the days of the Israelites drawing a strict contradiction to the contemporary understanding of slavery. The chapter outlines theShow MoreRelatedChristianity And African American Culture1710 Words   |  7 Pagestheir Christian belief was not molded by the words of a book, but rather the words of their ancestors. In the days of slavery, slaves used Christianity as a way of dependency and a gateway to hope and a future and that they would one day be freed from the claws of slavery, persecution, and humiliation, it is made known by the songs that were written back in the day, which we call â€Å"Old Negro Spirituals† such as â€Å"Have A Little Talk with Jesus† which says, A little talk with Jesus make it right, all rightRead MoreRichard Allen And The Stories Of Nat Turner1738 Words   |  7 Pagescountry and taken to the Americas. Some were hesitant to abandon their old traditions for the Christ their white captors taught of, but after several generations of slavery, most black slaves had succumbed to relentless preaching. However, the Christianity that took hold within the slave community was often interpreted differently, conveying different messages to pockets of slave population. The use of Christianity in slavery was a double edged sword, creating not only a tool for control, but a weaponRead MoreGod Behaving Badly By Lamb1519 Words   |  7 Pagestexts in the Old Testament and tries to answer the hard questions that arise from those readings. In my own examination of Lamb’s God Behaving Badly I will look at a few of the- questions and difficult texts that I found most interesting. Specifically, I will examine Lamb’s response to God s anger, apparent lack of concern for race and genocide, and violence in the Old Testament, and I will offer my own response. The first question that Lamb raises is if God’s anger in the Old Testament is justifiableRead MoreSlavery Of The South : Biblical Demonstrations Essay1328 Words   |  6 Pages AGAINST SLAVERY IN THE SOUTH: BIBLICAL DEMONSTRATIONS Student’s Name Course Title Date Against Slavery in the South: Biblical Demonstrations In the past, before the invention of money, countries would use various goods as a means of exchange. The material that was used had to be satisfying to the recipient. In East Africa, they would use minerals such as iron, gold and at times diamonds to exchange goods. In places such as West Africa, they would trade horses, ostrich feathersRead More Religious and Spiritual Practices of Enslaved African Americans1737 Words   |  7 PagesThe Community of Enslaved Africans and their Religious Spiritual Practices. During a most dark and dismal time in our nations history, we find that the Africans who endured horrible circumstances during slavery, found ways of peace and hope in their religious beliefs. During slavery, Africans where able to survive unbearable conditions by focusing on their spirituality. Christianity was amongst the slave community. Being that the vast majority of the slave community was born in America, convertingRead MoreEssay on African Slave Religion1742 Words   |  7 PagesThe Community of Enslaved Africans and their Religious Spiritual Practices. During a most dark and dismal time in our nations history, we find that the Africans who endured horrible circumstances during slavery, found ways of peace and hope in their religious beliefs. During slavery, Africans where able to survive unbearable conditions by focusing on their spirituality. Christianity was amongst the slave community. Being that the vast majority of the slave community was born in America,Read MoreThe Holy Bible and Jesus Christ Essay900 Words   |  4 Pagesreligious writings begin with the Old Testament followed by the Prophets and ends with a set of writings. The first five books of the bible best known as the Old Testament best describe the story of Israel from the creation of the world to the death of Moses. The Old Testament describes a special relationship between God and his chosen people and there is a strong emphasis on laws required to be followed and obeyed by all the child of God. Also the Old Testament talks about the Babylonian Exile whichRead MoreBibl 104 Ot Bible Dictionary Project1120 Words   |  5 PagesJenna Erickson BIBL 104-D13 04/17/2015 Old Testament Bible Dictionary Project: Exodus/Moses/Sinai Exodus: Exodus is the second book of five in the Pentateuch or Torah of the Old Testament. It is also the second book in the Hebrew Bible, and is known as V’elleh Shemoth, while in the Greek Bible it is known as Exodus, meaning â€Å"departure† or â€Å"outgoing†. Moses is believed to be the author of Exodus, and it was most likely written during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, between 1451Read MoreEssay on Bible: The Book of Deuteronomy1350 Words   |  6 Pagesthem if they were obedient and kept their promises. It also laid out what would happen if they did not keep their promise. It was pretty harsh too. They would lose their country; their enemies would take their identity and they would be tossed into slavery and the curse that they were under would visit their children’s children and so on until they decided to follow every rule of worship and to follow every step that God had given them to live by. Damn! That was a pretty cruel God they were workingRead MoreWilliam Patton, An Abolitionist And Reverend937 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Patton, an abolitionist and reverend, had a two-fold argument against the idea of Christianity supporting slavery which he laid out in his 1846 book â€Å"Slavery, the Bible, Infidelity†. His first argument, was that God could never support because, in simple terms, â€Å"God is just, and that slaveholding is unjust† (Patton, 6). Supporting this idea, Patton quotes Thomas Jefferson in saying in response of proslavery rhetoric, that â€Å"If your interpretation of the Bible be correct,it cannot be the word

Huckleberry Finn Persuasive Essay Example For Students

Huckleberry Finn Persuasive Essay The character Huck Finn, portrayed in the classic novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is a fun loving and adventurous young man. Only Mr. Twain knows his exact age, as it is never mentioned once in the novel. We can only guess that he is in his early teens. Mr. Twain also does not give an accurate description of Huck in the book either. Judging from the many things that he does, you can tell that he is neither a muscular person nor a skimpy weakling. He has the physique of a run of the mill country farm boy. The narration of this novel is very interesting. I liked how they reproduced the southern vernacular in its true form. En wid I fetch her a slap side de head dat sont her a-sprawlin. pg156, although it is very hard to understand, it adds to the overall experience of reading this book. This book is also narrated from Huckleberry Finns point of view. This makes the book more interesting at times because you actually can tell what Huck is thinking during given situations. He is also a very literal narrator, He tells everything as accurately as he can and never really exaggerates the situations to any remarkably big extent. This is also a very humorous book and Huck, being very literal minded, has no sense of humor. He doesnt get the punch lines to jokes or funny situationswhen the drunk man was riding a horse, he thought that he was not really an acrobat. Also, he took the age old joke about where mosses was when the lights went out seriously. This also makes him such an enjoyable chara cter and makes the book so enjoyable to read. Just that at times he can seem like an idiot, like when he really belived, for quite a while, that genies existed and that he could rub a lamp and get his wishes granted. I like this narration style because it really helps you to get to know Huck from his internal actions and reactions. Its hard to tell a lot about a character by how he talks sometimes, thats why I prefer this narration style to others. It seems that Huck has a very strange personality. I would describe his personality as free. He does everything he wants and nothing seems to stand in his way for long. He definitely wouldnt be considered a proper young man by todays standards. For instance, he prefers to wear tattered, loose fitting, rags to nice clean cloths. I guess it goes along with his personality. He also prefers to eat differently than we would. He likes all of his food to be mixed up in one pot, compared to the normal way of eating with different dishes and food on separate areas of our plates. I would consider Huck to be more of an outdoorsman. He loves to be outside with nature and doesnt like to be indoors that much. In fact, in the book he is never really inside on his own free will. He would rather be outside on his adventures. He likes the simpler way of life. Hucks personality is also very adaptable. He is a country boy at heart but adapted to the high class living of the Widow. He can then quickly adapt to living in the woods with Pap, or on a raft with Jim. He could even adapt to living with the Grangerfords. He seems to act very natural during these different situations. This helps him function and interact with others more easily. At times Huck doesnt show very good common sense or compassion. Like when he teased Jim when he was locked up in a cell. They would give him a ladder to escape, but he was in a one-story cell. Then they would give him chains because if he was jailed up he should be in chains. They also gave him pieces of metal to make into saws to cut himself out. They could have just given him a saw! We were not required to read these chapters because they did not fit in the book at all and were just a waste of space because it didnt accurately portray Hucks personality. Huck would not have left him in there for so long. Many critics of this book have also said that these, and other, chapters have no place in this book. .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da , .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .postImageUrl , .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da , .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:hover , .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:visited , .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:active { border:0!important; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:active , .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u46d86fe19a8f4f424800f847799e33da:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Cleopatra Power In Antony And Cleopatra EssayHe did show compassion many times in the novel though. Mostly towards the end. Like how the king and the duke try to swindle the wilkes money and he steals it and then gives it back. He also could have just kept the money and bought him a lot of nice things, but he mostly knows right from wrong, and taking their money was not right in hucks eyes. As I was reading Huckleberry Finn since we received the book, I have come across many feelings about this character. liked some of what I read and I didnt like many other parts. I felt that Mark Twain didnt keep things consistent enough. This book is a good book, but clearly could have been a lot better. I didnt like the way Huck behaved during a few chapters of the novel. They sometimes made absolute no sense and didnt fit in with the novel. They could have easily have been left out of the book and it still would have been a classic. They way Huck behaved in the aforementioned paragraph was clearly not thought out the way the rest of the book was. Huck is one of Americas favorite fictional characters and I can see why, for most of the book. Overall, Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written character. Despite how simple minded he may seem, he has a few qualities that are lacking in modern books, and from books of the time. He is the main reason that this book is such an enjoyable experience to read, and Im sure that it will be loved for many years to come.