CHAPTER I THE NATURE OF INTERPRETATION What are the materials with which we work in interpreting the printed page? In the attempt to use ourselves for the purpose of transmitting the ideas of another person, what are the tools and the materials to be used? The plain everyday answer would be that we take the ideas of another person and then express them by means of voice and body. But such an explanation will not bear very close analysis. Obviously enough there are the two factors, the printed page ideas and the person who does the interpreting; but for a study of interpretation we must go somewhat deeper than such surface data. In the first place we must include the audience for the sort of interpretation of literature we are talking about here. It is not merely the vocal outpourings of a sort of human lark, carolling for its own satisfaction, but more distinctly the attempt of one human being to interest another human being in what he finds on the printed page. Interesting the audience will prove in the study to be as important at problem as finding out what the printed page means and schooling the interpreter in how to get meaning from what the printed page shows him. Problems then which an interpreter will have to master are: 1. What meaning do I find on the page? 2. How can I give oral expression to this meaning? 3. How can I make my oral expression of meaning suitable to my audience? Printed Page as Black Marks. In all frankness we must begin by understanding that there is never anything on the printed page for the interpreter but black marks. There are not even words. Words cannot exist on a printed page. Words are merely a certain kind of reaction within a human being. |