Lispector’s “The Fifth Story” in Readers’ Interpretation Essay

April 4, 2021 by Essay Writer

Introduction

One of the most important issues about reading stories and writing them, the readers’ responses can vary in numerous ways. By only analyzing the ideas which emerge after reading a novel or a short story, one can feel the value of the reading. Despite the versatility of opinions and the clash of ideas, the readers of Clarice Lispector’s “The Fifth Story” came to the quite logical and original interpretation of the short story.

Killing Cockroaches

Considering the responses of the readers, one can notice that there were considerable differences in their ideas of the story. Discussing the plot, analyzing the ideas of the author, and trying to interpret them, the group has shown a great divergence of opinions.

It is quite peculiar that the group of students considered the Fifth Story from both the viewpoint of a reader and the position of a character. Describing the character in the most different and peculiar ways, the group both focused on the general idea of the story and its interpretation, as well as on their vision of the character and the plot.

It seems that some members of the group were focused exclusively on their impressions about the text, not on the novel itself. Considering the main character from different points of view, the group managed to draw a portrait of the leading character in the way they saw it and understood her actions.

Speaking of the group’s suggestions concerning the leading character, it would be reasonable to enumerate the most peculiar and outstanding ones. What strikes most when reading the responses to the story is the fact that each reader applied the story and its participant to the real-life, which means that the group perceived the short novel as a piece of reality.

Concerning the character of the plot, the readers depicted her in many ways; yet the most impressive interpretation of her actions and motivations was the idea of her intention to kill. Applying the story to the real world with the realities of everyday life, the group managed to create a truly psychological approach; yet it seems that the group focused rather on their impressions concerning the character rather than the text and its specific features.

Another idea that is worth mentioning is the fact that the character of the novel does not have a name. It must be noted that such an approach has an additional sense which the group unlocked as well, suspecting that the character is not important – these were rather her actions that mattered.

With help of these thorough considerations and well-thought analysis, the members of the group also approached the text itself. With help of their interpretations of the piece, the group suggested that the novel depicted a childish and immature person. It can be considered that the group viewed the lead character as a child and the novel as the attempts to grow up.

Speaking of the plot of the story, most of the group members considered it weird and tangled. Some raised the question of whether it was logical to start the novel from the very end. This added a certain air of irreality to the novel, the group concluded. Therefore, it can be suggested that the group considered the novel both from the position of a reader and from the position of the lead character and the writer.

It seems that the interpretations suggested produce an effect of a thorough analysis of both the story and their feelings concerning the character, the plot, and the inner sense which the story is filled with. Thus, it can be suggested that the readers managed to keep the balance between the story interpretation and the interpretation of their feelings and ideas.

However, analyzing the students’ interpretation of the novel, one might think whether this practice diminishes the value of the novel or helps to discover new ideas in it. Indeed, splitting a book into words and sentences will affect its meaning and idea greatly. Since a novel is a pure art which is designed to raise ideas, not to convey them, excessive discussion of the peculiarities of the plot and the leading character can harm the story to a certain extent. As long as the story remains the whole, it produces the most incredible effect; but when it is split into parts with a careless analysis, only the wrecks of its beauty remain.

Conclusion

Still, one has to remember that art is something that is filled with sense only as one considers it. Thus, the novel analysis obtains a certain sense and serves to emphasize the key ideas of the novel. Moreover, a thorough consideration of the story can also help to reveal the issues which the author hinted at. To sum up, group evaluation can produce positive results and serve to develop the readers’ critical thinking and imagination.

The interpretive community helps to understand the idea of the story better. With help of collective thinking, one can reach the ideas which have never occurred to him/her. In the search for the truth, this is one of the most effective methods.

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