ABSTRACT
On completion of the scriptive readings as described in the previous chapter, I turned to a consideration of what had emerged as being of interest across all five selected texts. My focus at this stage of the reading process became the five critical readings. Although the dominant and reflexive readings continue to play an active role in my considerations they are assigned supporting, rather than protagonist, parts. Scriptive reading draws on an eclectic mix of literary theories and practices that inform a particular reader-response to any one reading; together with the critical reading, the dominant and the reflexive readings are an integral component of this. But in my inquiry, from this point on, the dominant and reflexive readings will contribute to my interpretations chiefly to the extent that, as part of the total reader-response to the text, they shed light on the critical reading.
