The power of a reader: From the perspectives of Norman Holland and Wolfgang Iser

Abstract

This paper explores the reader-oriented approaches to literary theory through the perspectives of Norman Holland and Wolfgang Iser, focusing on their theories of reader-text interaction. Holland, drawing from psychoanalytic theory, emphasizes the role of the reader's unconscious mind and psychological experiences in shaping the reading process. Through his transactive theory, he argues that readers project their identity themes onto the text, influencing their interpretations. Iser, on the other hand, adopts a phenomenological approach, highlighting the reader's active engagement with the text and the interplay between their expectations and the text's structures. His concepts such as the implied reader and the wandering viewpoint underscore the dynamic nature of meaning-making during reading. Despite their differences, both theorists challenge text-centred approaches, emphasizing the vital role of the reader in creating meaning. This comparative analysis aims at enriching the understanding of reader-oriented literary theory and underscores the complexity of reader-text interaction in the process of interpretation.