"Reader Reactions"

[annemehr]

--- In HPFGU-Catalogue at yahoogroups.com, "a_reader2003"
<carolynwhite2 at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPFGU-Catalogue at yahoogroups.com, "annemehr" <annemehr at y...> 
> wrote:
> > I'm beginning to think we need a new category by this name, perhaps
> > under Other Topics. There do seem to be a lot of posts involving how
> > each reader's personal experience of the books is different and
> > colours the way plot, characterisation, etc. is interpreted.
> > 
> > Or perhaps "Reader Interpretations" would be better.
> > 
> > Anne
> 
> Carolyn:
> Mainly I put these under 'personal favourites', ie, reject them. I 
> only let them in if the reader's personal reaction leads to some 
> interesting new insights. 
> 
> The problem I see with 'reader interpretations' is that *every* post 
> is reader interpretation ! How would we narrow down the definition?
> 
> However, I did wonder whether we should have a category (probably in 
> section 5) for published reviews of the books.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. What I'm thinking of is posts that discuss the
subject of reader interpretation in general. For instance, while MAGIC
DISHWASHER was being debated, a side thread erupted about literary
criticism and what lit crit standards and theories ought to be applied
to HP and to theories such as MD. Another facet are posts discussing,
say, whether JKR *saying* Snape is abusive in an interview holds any
more value than the readers' reactions to the actual text. Stuff like
that. It's not a huge category, but there were some thoughtful posts
and I'm not sure where we'd code them. I'm thinking one category,
properly named, could probably hold them all.

Pippin? Are you around? And Jayne? You must remember stuff like this...

Anne