| A girl came to see me who
is writing a thesis on my novels for a very important university seminar in literary
studies. I see that my work serves her perfectly to demonstrate her theories, and this is
certainly a positive fact-for the novels or for the theories, I do not know which. From
her very detailed talk, I got the idea o f a piece o f work being seriously pursued, but
my books seen through her eyes prove unrecognizable to me. I am sure this Lotaria (that is
her name) has read them conscientiously, but I believe she has read them only to find in
them what she was already convinced o f before reading them. I tried to say this to her. She retorted, a bit irritated: "Why? Would you want me to read in your books only what you're convinced of before reading them. I answered her: "That isn't it. I expect readers to read in my books something I didn't know, but I can expect it only from those who expect to read something they didn't know. Italo Calvino |