ENGL 4310

Because theory did not use to be part of the program and I am one of those old returning students, I have not yet taken a theory class. So I looked up The Intentional Fallacy. I think I've always agreed with it's argument that "the design or intention of the author is . . . [not] desirable as a standard for judging the success of a work of literary art," even though I would argue as to the "availability" of the author's intent. As for O'Conner and Porter, I believe that regardless of their intent, their works have proven successful. So my argument would be that study of the author's life and letters, etc. outside the works they've written is a study significant in itself and not illegitimate. As successful writers, these two provide a study in the psychology of a writer, a study both fascinating and perhaps helpful to both readers and hopeful writers themselves. We do want to make connection from their lives to their works, but it is secondary to the judgment of their success, it is merely validation for our own understanding. As a reader and potential writer, we long to connect more strongly with the works we have already connected with as well as with the writer of such accomplishments. A study of who these writers are and how they may think and write only establishes a stronger connection to their works. If we understand (if at all possible) their thought process to even the smallest degree, we may understand their works on a different level -- a different way perhaps than how their works touched us before, or perhaps in a stronger way, and neither experience is more or less valuable than the other, nor does it detract from the original success of their works. I hope I've made some sense, but I guess my point is that their intent does not matter in my own mind as to the judgement of their works and that I recognize a value in the study of their letters that although we might find insightful as we try to understand their writing better, has a value all of its own and unrelated to the judgment of their success.