First Advisor

Narcisi, Lara

College

Regis College

Degree Name

BA

School

Regis College Senior Honors Program

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Comments

English

Number of Pages

86 pages

Abstract

This thesis provides a survey of post-foundational philosophy and explains reader response theory as one possible application of its insights within the field of literary theory. The main premise that unites these two theories is that belief precedes inference. Before people encounter any element of their world or any literary work, they harbor certain presuppositions that influence how they perceive and interact with that subject. This thesis ultimately centers on the question of whether a postmodern author who buys into these theories can presume to influence readers or larger society. It asks whether people can overcome these prior beliefs in order to significantly change their worldview, interact with opposed ideologies, and ultimately alter society. Through a reader response analysis of Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 and Inherent Vice, the author argues that post-foundationalism allows writers to influence readers in a manner that is neither specific nor direct but nonetheless valuable.

Date of Award

Spring 2012

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

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