Iser in Africa : a comparative study of some responses of culturally divergent groups to selected plays by Athol Fugard

Abstract

Reading is an activity which involves the participation of the whole human being. Before the advent of Reception Aesthetics, most approaches, though outwardly dissimilar, agreed that the literary work is the container of meaning. Reception Aestheticians reject the point of view that the text has only one correct meaning. Thus when different readers read the same text, their responses will differ from each other. According to lser's model of response the text can "unmask" the reader, depending on his horizon. This concept triggered the idea of setting up an empirical strategy for testing response, comparing rearlings of two culturally divergent groups. In view of the fact that human rights have been receiving extensive coverage from the media, thus providing the respondents with a broad horizon, Fugard as playwright and three representative plays were decided on viz. The Island, The Blood Knot and No Good Friday. Before attempting the actual empirical research, extensive reading was done, including the theories of phenomenologists and philosophers, as well as research projects done in America on the influence of culture on reading and comprehension.