The Way to Read

[Odalisque]

Quote Originally Posted by tartarusrussell

There again, it is amazing how differently some people can interpret the same book.

But sometimes the interpretation can't be justified by the text. I recall someone sounding off to me about Kafka's The Trial. He said something to the effect of: "Everyone assumes that Joseph K was innocent, but how do we know he isn't guilty?

My reply was:

Because Kafka tells us so in the first sentence: Someone must have been telling lies about Joseph K because, without his doing anything wrong, he was arrested one fine morning.