Ambiguity allows the reader to fill in areas, and analyze symbolism, allegory, allusions, etc. This provides the opportunity for the reader to use creative thinking and imagination, as well as perception from personal experience and opinion. Ambiguity on behalf of the writer encourages the reader to appreciate their talent, when they can write about one thing, and mean something on another level. This can turn an entertaining writer into a teacher of anything from politics and ethics to love and morals.
According to science clarity and precision of thoughts and words is imperative. It relies on subjectivity and quantitative analysis. While in the arts, like the literature we read; sometimes a subjective view is used, which can lead you to varied outcomes or points of view. These can involve satisfying, unsatisfying or open-ended outcomes; all of which depending on the novel or situation can be appreciated equally.
I like your interpretation that ambiguity lends a reader the opening to interpret the story anyway they like, adding their own creative interpretations and symbolism to elements they are unsure about. I know I have done that, as I myself am not a big reader of the classics, and when I do find myself reading a classic, I must fill in the blanks for myself, as I do not have the previous knowledge about the genre, and ambiguity begins to play a major part in my reading. Hamlet was one such story, where I found myself drawing parallels with modern fantasy I have read, rather than works relating more closely to Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteI love ambiguity however with that being said, it has to be the right text. Sometimes ambiguity leaves me utterly confused and disoriented. Other times ambiguity makes me feel as though I have written portions of the book about myself, due to all the personal connections. I do think I fall victim to having preconceived notions when it comes to some texts. If I think a text is leaning towards an idea, I tend to connect everything to that idea. This in turn ruins the ambiguity of the book because I am not letting my mind wander; instead, I am confining it in a cage with one belief. Lastly, ambiguity adds a little mystery and who doesn’t like a little mystery sprinkled into a story.
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