Interpretation concepts and frameworks

¶ … literal and the figurative." According to this section, there is a prejudice in the western world against the figurative and in favor of the literal. The reason cited for this is an anxiety related to the ancient practice of inserting unauthorized lines into otherwise authorized liturgy. This sacrilegious practice presented a challenge to the absolute power of priests, who used liturgy as a tool for the subjugation of uneducated peasants. These challengers of authority were referred to as "tropists" whereas the unauthorized text inserted was names "tropes."

The premise of the section is that the fear of the figurative is related to the potential loss of authority, such as that held by the priests in ancient times. The average western paradigm is thus one of the rulership of the literal that holds authority and should not be challenged. The text also implies that this is primarily a male paradigm, as the figurative is seen as weak and feminine. The implication is furthermore that the male is stronger and better than the female view.

Giving any authority to the female view of things then is to tamper with the authorized version of a text is thus to tamper with the standing order of things. This is seen as a threat to the western paradigm. It is not only a play on words, but also a play on power at its representative source. This is what the rebellion of the tropists entailed: they rebelled against authority by tampering with its source - liturgy.

The section substantiates this view by an explication of the owners of power throughout human history. This power entailed ownership of the recognized version of the "truth." The first such persons were then kings or emperors, after whom the Church became the authority figure. Authority was then taken over by science and rationality, after which public opinion became the primary and current owner of the authorized "truth."

In western society then, public opinion holds certain things such as rationality and the superiority of the male as absolute truths, fearing the figurative as a challenge to this truth. The problem however is that such a fear detracts from the enjoyment that could be derived from humanity and art.

I find this section particularly interesting, since I was unaware of the paradigm instilled by the tropists. I must however disagree with the premise that there is a general prejudice against the figurative. True, the source of current power is the opinion of the majority. I however disagree with the view that the majority sees the figurative as a threat to this authority, or that it is even an issue. There are many writers, professors and other male figures in the world who do not find the figurative a threat to their authority or opinion.

I therefore believe that this section of the article is mistaken regarding the western prejudice against the figurative. This may have been true when power was held by science. Public opinion however is held by both men and women, and both men and women recognize the importance and the satisfaction to be derived from acknowledging the figurative.