ABSTRACT
Good bibliotherapeutic material most often contains concrete images of objects found in nature or things and experiences that are part of daily life. Since the bibliotherapeutic material is a catalyst for discussion rather than the primary focus, both the vocabulary and the diction of literature must be clear. Thus, on the strength of vocabulary alone, many very fine works of literature are judged to be unsuitable for bibliotherapy. The ambiguity of the material, which invites such varying responses, may well help bibliotherapy participants understand a very critical point of good mental health—that one's personal reaction to the realities of life can change, even if the realities themselves do not. The problem of ambiguity touches on some of the same issues involved in using humorous material in bibliotherapy. Stylistic complexity pertains to both the mechanical issue of length and the more elusive problem of structure.
