reader-response criticism

Reader-response criticism is a type of literary criticism that centers on the reader's interaction with a text. This approach emphasizes how a reader's individual experiences, beliefs, and interpretations shape their understanding and engagement with a literary work. Unlike other forms of criticism that might focus on the author's intent or the text's formal elements, reader-response criticism posits that the meaning of a text is not fixed but is created in the dynamic exchange between the reader and the work itself. This perspective emerged in the mid-20th century and has influenced how literature is analyzed and discussed.12