No characters shall be harmed in this post. The death referred to in the title is Roland Barthes’ theory of “La mort de l’auteur”. He wrote that the reader’s interpretation of a book is more important than the author’s intention, and that each reading brings new insights. As a minor author now myself, I have been reflecting on this concept recently.
Wikipedia notes that Barthes’ idea was developed by the school of New Criticism in the US (1940-1970). The ‘”intentional fallacy” declares that a poem does not belong to its author; rather, “it is detached from the author at birth and goes about the world beyond his power to intend about it or control it. The poem belongs to the public.”’ That sounds very grand, but also democratic.
I am asked a lot about the identity of GANTOB and The Benefaktor. That is not important. I am a former travelling salesperson, but not The Travelling Salesman. There are probably unintentional clues about the types of things that I have sold in my 30 years in the job, in my book, blog and videos. That is also unimportant. I could also say that I have written a book, pamphlets and a blog, but I am not a writer. Indeed, what makes a writer?
The start of part two of 2023: A trilogy by The JAMs – the page by Roberta Antonia Wilson, channelling George Orwell or whoever else – is, for me, the most important part of the book. She writes:
“Reading back through [book 1]… it feels like it has been written for an audience of less than half a dozen. It feels like I was just trying to layer the whole thing with all sorts of reference points to impress… well, whoever it is, I don’t know”.
Well, if this blog is intended as a re-enactment or re-positioning of 2023: A trilogy, then it appears to be on the right track. The readership numbers are carefully monitored by WordPress, and hover at around 10 people a day. And layers of characters and references? Tick.
Curt Finks died twenty years ago and was never published. Today his writing may, or may not, be about to be hung on the wall of four GANTOB readers. 2023: A trilogy has been re-read by at least one person this morning. In part two of this blog you will be invited to make your own kontributions.
GANTOB 27 October 2023
GANTOB blog 