Intentional Fallacy

[P_R]

Many parts of this essay are germane to the discussion at hand
http://www.jeyamohan.in/?p=6241

Here is a last paragraph I didn't post yesterday because I didn't want to aathify too much tea in weekend emptied shop in one day
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Will reveal another reason why I am annoyed. I dismiss most of current Tamil short story writing <the only form I persist reading>. When the half-baked attempts are passed of as if 'there is something in there' I have just given up on a perhaps-its-beyond-me politeness. i.e 'there is something the reader should bring to the table' and I came with just fork and spoon. But then on repeating reading and <horrors> reading the author's thiruvaai-malarndharuLal in intrees - I am at ease. I 'know' there is nothing in those stories which I didn't get.

Now, that has become the standard. That you can let go on creative control and just be. And that sweatless scrawl can go on to be called 'art' is just annoying. And the foundation of all this is the contention that the 'author is dead' and each reader will have his reading (with the author subtly beaming that his text was open enough to permit the varied reading experiences - I keep thinking of the inkblot joke).

Of what little I read, the creative control of oldies like aadhavan or asOkamitran - is something to bow to. And no-one is even striving in that direction because now it is 'easy' to become an artist.