On authorship

Recently, an esteemed columnist, whom I follow religiously in a Sunday paper, revealed that many of her fans were disappointed upon meeting her in person. While her written work is regarded as ‘lit’ and humorous, her reserved and shy personality in person did not meet the expectations of her fans, who anticipated her to be a stand-up comedian. This feedback resonated with other readers who also expressed disappointment upon meeting writers who did not live up to their romanticised expectations.

Consequently, this has led to a school of thought that endorses the notion of the ‘death of the author.’ As described in Roland Barthes’ 1967 essay of the same name, this concept separates the creator from their writing. Additionally, literary criticism should evaluate the written work independently, with the author’s personal beliefs, political affiliations, economic status, and other irrelevant factors deriving meaning from independent creation.

On the other hand, it is the reader’s responsibility to interpret and reinterpret the writing in subsequent readings. Since no two readers are identical, varying interpretations can arise from the same literature. This notion supports the famous urban legend about a writer who failed an exam based on his literature piece because the question asked about the author’s intent.

One perspective, with others in between, has revived the notion that we cannot separate an author and their work. This viewpoint posits that writers inject fragments of themselves into their creations, regardless of the subject matter or timing. However, this stance is a double-edged sword since it makes the author vulnerable to character attacks, as the reader cannot separate the author from their ideas.

In my experience as both a writer and a reader, both schools of thought hold some truth. Writing often draws upon personal experiences, imbuing the author’s work with a bit of themselves for readers to enjoy and critique. However, even when writing about non-personal topics, biases can unconsciously influence the writing. In such cases, readers may question the author’s character, but ultimately, it’s up to the reader to make that judgment.

As a reader, I have also been guilty of scrutinising an author’s character, mainly when they use offensive language. However, if their argument is sound, I try to separate the author from their work. What is your opinion on this matter?