Interpretations of Text
Hey E319 Students,
Do you think coincidences exist? If so, in what situations? Do authors hope for their audience to take the idea of coincidences and apply it to their text? Why or why not?
(Jay Mehta Approved)
posted by Jay Mehta @ 12/08/2011
4 comments
4 Comments:
The definition of coincidence is a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance. I agree with the definitions but I disagree with the people who try to tell me that anything is coincidence. I, for one, am a firm believer in fate. I believe that everything happens for a reason. And when I say everything I really do mean everything. My favorite example of fate occurs in the movie Serendipity. The universe is made up of fate. For example if you run into someone who happens to be wearing the same Van Halen t-shirt as you and you happen to get I the same grocery line and then you happen to again run into each other at the Van Halen concert and then you both happen to be free next Friday night and go on a date and then get married four years later that cannot be coincidence. Of course not every act of fate is as big as my example. I do not believe that authors want the audience to believe in coincidence because then it almost seems as if the author did not make a rhetorical choice but actually a mistake. In my opinion authors share my point of view and want their audience to believe in fate.
A coincidence is when something seems to occur by chance, almost as if the whole thing was an accident. I think coincidences do exist. Although I see Kailey's point that they these events can be looked upon as fate, I do not think this view can be universal because some people do not believe in fate. A great example of a coincidence is my birthday, because I was born on the exact same month and day that my father was. These situations can extend from text to our everyday lives and events. Coincidences can also exist in text, but I do not think authors want this to happen and have their audience notice it. If an author does something really clever or thoughtful without being aware of it, the audience does not know it was just a coincidence so they give him or her credit and praise. However, this praise will be empty and meaningless for the author because it is not something he or she did with purpose and therefore cannot take credit for it.
- Marzena Socha, period 3
Yes, I do think that coincidences exist. I think they exist in situations that are least expected. For example, if you are at the airport with your family, you do not expect to see your teacher, but it is possible. There can be coincidences depending on the situation. I think that authors do hope for their audience to take the idea of coincidences and apply it to their text because then it takes their text and creates a whole new view of it. If the author intended for the reader not to notice coincidences, they would not be put in the text. But, because coincidences to happen, I feel like authors place them within the text for a purpose.
-Nicole Vetter
I think that coincidences could exist, but then there are also situations where the appearance of a coincidence actually has a purpose to it. A coincidence is an occurrence where something appears to be arranged but it was actually accidental. An example of a coincidence took place while I was on vacation in Williamsburg, Virginia with my family. While we were walking around, I happened to see my friend there. I was unaware that her family was in Virginia at the same time my family was. What are the odds that we would be in the same place at the same time? Readers often see coincidences in text, but the purpose for the placing of the coincidence in the text can be tacit. I think good authors can place purposeful situations or rhetorical moves in the text, but it takes a good reader to discover the underlying purpose. Otherwise readers may view the text as merely a coincidence so I think it depends on the target audience.
-Sarah Richter (Period 2)
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