Ambiguity gives the possibility of more than one interpretation of what you are reading. An ambiguous phrase is unclear. Typically, there is one basic meaning and then a more complex meaning. Authors will usually use ambiguity intentionally to add depth or for comedic purposes to make the story more interesting. An example of ambiguity is in The Stranger, Meursault says, "I said it didn't make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to" (41). Meursault is vague in what "it" is because he doesn't specify what he is referring to whether it is about marriage or love. Even after the reading the passage it is unclear what Meursault means so we are left feeling uncertain.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Post #3- Ambiguity
Ambiguity gives the possibility of more than one interpretation of what you are reading. An ambiguous phrase is unclear. Typically, there is one basic meaning and then a more complex meaning. Authors will usually use ambiguity intentionally to add depth or for comedic purposes to make the story more interesting. An example of ambiguity is in The Stranger, Meursault says, "I said it didn't make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to" (41). Meursault is vague in what "it" is because he doesn't specify what he is referring to whether it is about marriage or love. Even after the reading the passage it is unclear what Meursault means so we are left feeling uncertain.
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Excellent job finding an example of ambiguity in the text. Your explanation was also very helpful and it cleared up some of my confusion. One question I still have is if it is possible for a character to be ambiguous, not just a word or phrase. If that is the case, then Meursalt would be a perfect example of that.
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