Sally, 9/04

The notion that an innocent reader may not exist is a disturbing concept to me. In class, this was discussed and explained, but I am not convinced of the veracity of that statement. An innocent reader would be one who holds no opinion or bias regarding the text and topic he is reading. It appeared the general consensus in class was that a reader with no bias would be an impossibility (although, there was one critical theorist mentioned who upheld that possibility.) Certainly, if you know the subject well, or have strong opinions about the topic about which you are reading, you are not an innocent reader. We all have read material from a critical or defensive stance (exhibiting a bias) - perhaps we should label that person a "guilty reader?"

So, what makes an innocent reader? The most obvious requirement for an innocent reader would be an inquisitive mind - childlike, in a sense. The logical question is whether or not an adult can be an innocent reader? I say, yes, partially. It is difficult for an adult to be open and inquisitive regarding the text before them, but it does happen. For instance, I am presently enjoying a memoir written by a professor who had taught in Iran. The book is Reading Lolita in Tehran. I chose this book specifically because it was not a subject with which I was familiar and I wanted to be challenged, and entertained, in my reading. The emotional component, aesthetic beauty, and human experience related through the text are not questioned by me. I take it for what it is. I appreciate the characters portrayed, the situations presented for who and what they are - nothing more or less. However, to be fair, there are other aspects to the novel that I do read critically. Those aspects revolve around politics and the way of life of the Iranians portrayed in the book. It has caused me to pause in my opinions of a country of which I know little and to realize the limitation of my own thought regarding the history of Iran and the situation it finds itself in today. I want to be an innocent reader, but I want to read responsibly. Are those two processes at odds? I say no - we can shift from one approach to the other given the purpose for our reading; if there are no innocent readers, I believe there is diminished hope for mankind....the innocent reader represents the spark in us all.... it is our humanity unleashed to be able to see where text will take us. If we all read, all the time, from a biased position, we are closed and lose a degree of our humanity - we are 'guilty" of becoming mechanized; our choice to be an innocent reader who considers new ideas, is compassionate, and is able to read between the lines is vital to our humanity.