Volume 17, Issue 66 (2024)
LCQ 2024, 17(66): 109-150 |
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1- Member of the Faculty of Persian Language and Literature, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
2- PhD student of Persian language and literature ,fatemesoqandi@ymail.com
3- Graduated from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
2- PhD student of Persian language and literature ,
3- Graduated from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Abstract: (1999 Views)
In this article, we criticized Aidan Chambers' theory of the implied reader in children's and young adult literature. Chambers proposes techniques for identifying the implied reader in such literature. While the theory offers useful concepts, it contains flaws and gaps, which we explain under several headings: generalizations and ambiguity in definitions, overlap of categories, inconsistency in examples, and weak theoretical foundations. The proper application of this theory in practice requires revisions, supplements, and corrections, which we have addressed in this study. We further provide suggestions for improving the theory. Given that Chambers' theory aims to uncover the implied reader, we also explored techniques that enable us to identify this reader. In the fields of linguistic analysis of the novel and narratology, we found effective methods and concepts, and we designed an approach based on text structure analysis and narrative discourse, which helps infer the implied reader. This method includes the concepts of sème, focalization, voice, and distance, offering a more precise understanding of the implied reader.
1. Introduction
Considering a specific audience in children's and young adult literature is a necessity for writers in this field, far beyond what is required for adult literature authors. Thus, reader-response criticism is especially important in the realm of children's and young adult literature. Various theories have been proposed with this approach, emphasizing the reader's active engagement with the text and highlighting the reader's role in shaping meaning. In other words, the reader collaborates with the author in creating meaning. One reader-response theory is Aidan Chambers’ theory of the "implied reader," which introduces a reader within children's literature who is present in the text and plays a role in its construction. Chambers also lists techniques for illustrating this reader, including style, point of view, advocacy, and narrative gaps. This theory helps critics understand for whom the story is written.
2. Discussion
While Chambers' theory offers useful concepts, it has some flaws and gaps, which we have explained under several headings: vagueness in definitions, category overlap, inconsistency in examples, and weak theoretical foundations. In light of these criticisms, we attempted to introduce alternative methods to address the shortcomings of the theory. Upon closer inspection, among Chambers' four elements (style, point of view, advocacy, and narrative gaps), only style, point of view, and narrative gaps are tools for illustrating the implied reader, while advocacy pertains more to the relationship between the author and the implied reader rather than being a tool for deducing it.
Given that Chambers himself uses the term "style" in his theory, we initially turned to stylistics. After reflecting on and studying concepts related to stylistics and drawing from other fields such as linguistics and narratology, we found that employing stylistics to identify the implied reader is fraught with ambiguities, and there are much better tools for this purpose. Particularly, in stylistics, the interpretation of any subject depends on its frequency and recurrence. Thus, many significant points in identifying the implied reader would be overlooked simply because they are not frequent. Identifying the implied reader is, in fact, an effort to understand the rhetorical aspect of the text, meaning that by analyzing the surface structure of the text and recognizing the transformations in relation to its deep structure, we aim to understand the characteristics of the reader for whom this text/narrative was created. Therefore, we had to turn to techniques that allow us this rhetorical understanding. In linguistics, many of the topics Chambers aims to analyze under the term "style" are already discussed, such as the author's use of imagery, conscious and unconscious references, hypotheses about the reader's perception, and attitudes toward beliefs, customs, and characters in the narrative. Since the novel is a linguistic-narrative structure, we utilized the linguistics of the novel and narratology to better explain Chambers’ concepts. Roger Fowler's linguistics and the novel was one of the sources we relied on in this endeavor. Fowler introduces a method through which we can analyze the novel as a large narrative structure using linguistic tools. In our proposed analysis method, instead of the stylistics-related techniques like point of view and narrative gaps, which were not very precise, we used the techniques of the linguistics of the novel and narratology to derive a more accurate and well-founded understanding of the implied reader based on textual evidence.
In analyzing the element of the text, we used the concept of "semantic units," through which we can clarify the relationship between the narrator, characters, and implied reader within the novel, and thus infer the author’s perspective toward the implied reader. In the discussion of discourse, we also utilized narratology, employing techniques like focalization, voice, and distance to identify the implied reader. In analyzng the novel, focalization helps us understand how different viewpoints can influence our interpretation and understanding of events and characters. This concept clearly shows that not only “who says” but also “from whose perspective it is said” is equally important in shaping meaning. Through focalization, we can illustrate the implied reader with whom the text intends to communicate.
We also discussed the concept of voice. This concept relates to the analysis of how the speech and thought of characters are represented, showing how the author can reflect different viewpoints and ideologies in the story through various voices. The voices of the narrator and characters play a significant role in directly and indirectly expressing the author's attitude toward the implied reader.
Distance is another discourse-related technique that refers to the relationship between the narrator and the events of the story. This distance can be temporal, spatial, emotional, or epistemic, determining the degree of closeness or detachment of the narrator from the story. In novel analysis, the concept of distance helps us understand how the narrator might create a specific effect on the reader through this distance or closeness, and infer what kind of reader is being targeted.
3. Conclusion
While Aidan Chambers' theory of the implied reader provides valuable insights for researchers and writers of children's and young adult literature, it is not without its shortcomings. In this article, we critically examined Chambers' approach, highlighting its theoretical ambiguities and issues. One of the weaknesses of Chambers’ theory is its vagueness and generality. Chambers presents four techniques for identifying the implied reader, but the explanations for each are unclear, failing to provide precise tools or categories for analysis. Additionally, there is overlap between the concepts of Chambers’ techniques. For instance, style and narrative gaps cover similar aspects, such as the author's conscious and unconscious references. This overlap creates ambiguity, making it difficult for analysts to differentiate between the techniques. Other weaknesses of this theory include inconsistencies in the examples used and weak theoretical foundations. For example, Chambers proposes assumptions about the difficulty of topics and language for children without providing a clear definition or solid theoretical basis. In the next step, we sought to address these flaws by drawing on the linguistics of the novel and narratology to offer a solution for identifying the implied reader. Initially, we used Fowler’s theory regarding the analysis of text structure. Based on this, we found a way to identify the implied reader through analyzing the three elements of text, discourse, and content in the novel. By relying on complementary theories in narratology and linguistics, we planned a more substantial and precise analysis. Thus, in our proposed analysis method, instead of using the imprecise stylistics-related techniques like point of view and narrative gaps, we employed the techniques of novel linguistics and narratology and designed a method based on the analysis of the text structure and narrative discourse, allowing us to identify the implied reader. This method includes the concepts of semantic units, focalization, voice, and distance, which provide a more accurate understanding of the implied reader.
1. Introduction
Considering a specific audience in children's and young adult literature is a necessity for writers in this field, far beyond what is required for adult literature authors. Thus, reader-response criticism is especially important in the realm of children's and young adult literature. Various theories have been proposed with this approach, emphasizing the reader's active engagement with the text and highlighting the reader's role in shaping meaning. In other words, the reader collaborates with the author in creating meaning. One reader-response theory is Aidan Chambers’ theory of the "implied reader," which introduces a reader within children's literature who is present in the text and plays a role in its construction. Chambers also lists techniques for illustrating this reader, including style, point of view, advocacy, and narrative gaps. This theory helps critics understand for whom the story is written.
2. Discussion
While Chambers' theory offers useful concepts, it has some flaws and gaps, which we have explained under several headings: vagueness in definitions, category overlap, inconsistency in examples, and weak theoretical foundations. In light of these criticisms, we attempted to introduce alternative methods to address the shortcomings of the theory. Upon closer inspection, among Chambers' four elements (style, point of view, advocacy, and narrative gaps), only style, point of view, and narrative gaps are tools for illustrating the implied reader, while advocacy pertains more to the relationship between the author and the implied reader rather than being a tool for deducing it.
Given that Chambers himself uses the term "style" in his theory, we initially turned to stylistics. After reflecting on and studying concepts related to stylistics and drawing from other fields such as linguistics and narratology, we found that employing stylistics to identify the implied reader is fraught with ambiguities, and there are much better tools for this purpose. Particularly, in stylistics, the interpretation of any subject depends on its frequency and recurrence. Thus, many significant points in identifying the implied reader would be overlooked simply because they are not frequent. Identifying the implied reader is, in fact, an effort to understand the rhetorical aspect of the text, meaning that by analyzing the surface structure of the text and recognizing the transformations in relation to its deep structure, we aim to understand the characteristics of the reader for whom this text/narrative was created. Therefore, we had to turn to techniques that allow us this rhetorical understanding. In linguistics, many of the topics Chambers aims to analyze under the term "style" are already discussed, such as the author's use of imagery, conscious and unconscious references, hypotheses about the reader's perception, and attitudes toward beliefs, customs, and characters in the narrative. Since the novel is a linguistic-narrative structure, we utilized the linguistics of the novel and narratology to better explain Chambers’ concepts. Roger Fowler's linguistics and the novel was one of the sources we relied on in this endeavor. Fowler introduces a method through which we can analyze the novel as a large narrative structure using linguistic tools. In our proposed analysis method, instead of the stylistics-related techniques like point of view and narrative gaps, which were not very precise, we used the techniques of the linguistics of the novel and narratology to derive a more accurate and well-founded understanding of the implied reader based on textual evidence.
In analyzing the element of the text, we used the concept of "semantic units," through which we can clarify the relationship between the narrator, characters, and implied reader within the novel, and thus infer the author’s perspective toward the implied reader. In the discussion of discourse, we also utilized narratology, employing techniques like focalization, voice, and distance to identify the implied reader. In analyzng the novel, focalization helps us understand how different viewpoints can influence our interpretation and understanding of events and characters. This concept clearly shows that not only “who says” but also “from whose perspective it is said” is equally important in shaping meaning. Through focalization, we can illustrate the implied reader with whom the text intends to communicate.
We also discussed the concept of voice. This concept relates to the analysis of how the speech and thought of characters are represented, showing how the author can reflect different viewpoints and ideologies in the story through various voices. The voices of the narrator and characters play a significant role in directly and indirectly expressing the author's attitude toward the implied reader.
Distance is another discourse-related technique that refers to the relationship between the narrator and the events of the story. This distance can be temporal, spatial, emotional, or epistemic, determining the degree of closeness or detachment of the narrator from the story. In novel analysis, the concept of distance helps us understand how the narrator might create a specific effect on the reader through this distance or closeness, and infer what kind of reader is being targeted.
3. Conclusion
While Aidan Chambers' theory of the implied reader provides valuable insights for researchers and writers of children's and young adult literature, it is not without its shortcomings. In this article, we critically examined Chambers' approach, highlighting its theoretical ambiguities and issues. One of the weaknesses of Chambers’ theory is its vagueness and generality. Chambers presents four techniques for identifying the implied reader, but the explanations for each are unclear, failing to provide precise tools or categories for analysis. Additionally, there is overlap between the concepts of Chambers’ techniques. For instance, style and narrative gaps cover similar aspects, such as the author's conscious and unconscious references. This overlap creates ambiguity, making it difficult for analysts to differentiate between the techniques. Other weaknesses of this theory include inconsistencies in the examples used and weak theoretical foundations. For example, Chambers proposes assumptions about the difficulty of topics and language for children without providing a clear definition or solid theoretical basis. In the next step, we sought to address these flaws by drawing on the linguistics of the novel and narratology to offer a solution for identifying the implied reader. Initially, we used Fowler’s theory regarding the analysis of text structure. Based on this, we found a way to identify the implied reader through analyzing the three elements of text, discourse, and content in the novel. By relying on complementary theories in narratology and linguistics, we planned a more substantial and precise analysis. Thus, in our proposed analysis method, instead of using the imprecise stylistics-related techniques like point of view and narrative gaps, we employed the techniques of novel linguistics and narratology and designed a method based on the analysis of the text structure and narrative discourse, allowing us to identify the implied reader. This method includes the concepts of semantic units, focalization, voice, and distance, which provide a more accurate understanding of the implied reader.
Keywords: Implied reader, Aidan Chambers, theory critique, reader-response theory, narratology, linguistic analysis of the novel, method designing
Article Type: Original Research |
Subject:
Child literature
Received: 2024/03/2 | Accepted: 2024/09/8 | Published: 2024/08/31
Received: 2024/03/2 | Accepted: 2024/09/8 | Published: 2024/08/31
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