Quote Originally Posted by ronstew
And yet, my last English prof told me that the symbolism that I interpret is the symbolism that matters. That is, what the author intended is not as important as what I think the author intended.

My last English prof was full of something.
Well, the best stories can be read by different people and they will each get something different from them. That's great, just don't claim that your own interpretation is what the author intended.