My first THOUGHTS:
When I first heard the word “intertextuality,” I thought about texts interacting with each other. As I read furthermore, I started to grasp the idea, but I had to reread it again to fully understand it. When it was time to discuss it with my classmates, all I could say was “if you know, you know.” They both looked at me like it made sense. But if someone close to me asked me what it meant, I would most likely summarize this blog post for them.
What I concluded from the reading:
Intertextuality is used by authors to reference other works, like poems, movies, songs and much more but its anything within their own text. I interpreted it like a “saying”. For example, a meme that my dad wouldn’t get because he doesn’t know what I’m referring to. But my brother would, and a connection would be made through the saying.
I believe this is how authors build connections with readers. When a reader recognizes a specific reference, it makes them feel part of the text. It’s like being part of the conversation, which makes the reading experience more interactive. For example, in “Verity” by Colleen Hoover, the main character mentions Target. I don’t remember the exact words, but I recognized the reference. That small connection made the reading more engaging. I wasn’t the only one who noticed it because when I checked TikTok, I saw others highlight it.
Intertextuality often creates a subtle, shared experience. These shared connections/ideas have a deeper sense of engagement. That’s when the reader recognizes and relates to the connection being made.
When authors link their work to something original, it always feels appreciated. Authors are acknowledging the original work and applying it to their work. Today, intertextuality is everywhere, especially in social media, memes, books, myths. I view this reading as a way to understand media by recognizing their references. Ultimately, I believe it just keeps reshaping and evolving original works into something new and contemporary. I am glad I got to read this reading. I am now fully aware that authors do this and now I have a word to call it when finding it in their work.
article : Project MUSE – Digital Rhetoric
Leave a Reply