This thesis examines the violent punishments undergone by various martyrs in Prudentius’ Peristephanon. In particular, it explores how the poet’s depiction of this violence and suffering might affect readers of the collection. Four poems (poems II, III, IX and XI) are studied from the point of view of the emotions they are likely to evoke in the reader. The question of whether different types of readers might undergo different emotional experiences while reading these poems arises as a result of the proposed study. The first chapter of this thesis thus examines the nature of emotions, focussing on their sources and composition. This examination suggests that an individual’s emotional experience can be influenced both by biological factors and by social and cultural environment. With this in mind, an examination follows of various aspects of Roman society and culture which were likely to influence the ways in which its citizens, in particular, reacted to the violent scenes in the poems. We will also consider how our own specific cultural milieu may influence modern readers to sometimes react differently to Roman readers. In particular, it is proposed that most readers of the Peristephanon will react with varying shades of disgust and horror. These two emotions are thus used as a framework for discussing reader reactions to the poems. Disgust and horror are understood in a very broad sense, allowing for different varieties of these emotions, which at times even give rise to contradiction and paradox. The remaining chapters of the thesis are devoted to examinations of the four chosen poems which explore the various ways in which they might evoke horror and disgust among both Roman and modern readers. Often, there is considerable overlap between these two groups. These examinations provide a way of understanding why these poems are so striking, and have impacted so strongly on readers through the ages. / Thesis (M.A.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 2009

This thesis examines the violent punishments undergone by various martyrs in Prudentius’ Peristephanon. In particular, it explores how the poet’s depiction of this violence and suffering might affect readers of the collection. Four poems (poems II, III, IX and XI) are studied from the point of view of the emotions they are likely to evoke in the reader. The question of whether different types of readers might undergo different emotional experiences while reading these poems arises as a result of the proposed study. The first chapter of this thesis thus examines the nature of emotions, focussing on their sources and composition. This examination suggests that an individual’s emotional experience can be influenced both by biological factors and by social and cultural environment. With this in mind, an examination follows of various aspects of Roman society and culture which were likely to influence the ways in which its citizens, in particular, reacted to the violent scenes in the poems. We will also consider how our own specific cultural milieu may influence modern readers to sometimes react differently to Roman readers. In particular, it is proposed that most readers of the Peristephanon will react with varying shades of disgust and horror. These two emotions are thus used as a framework for discussing reader reactions to the poems. Disgust and horror are understood in a very broad sense, allowing for different varieties of these emotions, which at times even give rise to contradiction and paradox. The remaining chapters of the thesis are devoted to examinations of the four chosen poems which explore the various ways in which they might evoke horror and disgust among both Roman and modern readers. Often, there is considerable overlap between these two groups. These examinations provide a way of understanding why these poems are so striking, and have impacted so strongly on readers through the ages. / Thesis (M.A.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 2009

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Η παρούσα εργασία επικεντρώνει το ενδιαφέρον της στην προσέγγιση των ποιημάτων, τα οποία περιέχονται στα Κείμενα Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας της Α΄ τάξης του Γυμνασίου. Η προσέγγιση αυτή επιχειρείται σύμφωνα με τη «ρητορική εκδοχή» της Αναγνωστικής Θεωρίας, τη βάση της οποίας συγκροτούν οι θεωρίες των: Roman Jakobson, Paul de Man και Wayne Booth. Η βασική μας υπόθεση ότι η όλη προσέγγιση των ποιημάτων για την Α΄ τάξη του Γυμνασίου διέπεται και από τη «ρητορική εκδοχή», όχι μόνο από την «ερμηνευτική» που αναφέρει το Διαθεματικό Ενιαίο Πλαίσιο Προγράμματος Σπουδών (2002), επιβεβαιώθηκε. Από την ανάλυση του υλικού μας, το οποίο περιλαμβάνει δεκαεννέα (19) ποιήματα, προέκυψαν ορισμένα ενδιαφέροντα ευρήματα. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, η μελέτη μας εντόπισε ότι στα ποιήματα της Α΄ τάξης του Γυμνασίου υπάρχουν αρκετοί ρητορικοί τρόποι, όπως, η μετωνυμία, η προσωποποίηση, η ρητορική ερώτηση, το σύμβολο, η αλληγορία, η ειρωνεία, με κυρίαρχη, ωστόσο, τη μεταφορά. Επίσης, στα ποιήματα καταγράφηκαν οι έννοιες του υπονοούμενου συγγραφέα και του υπονοούμενου αναγνώστη, ενώ αρκετές από τις ερωτήσεις/εργασίες που συνοδεύουν κάθε ποίημα στο σχολικό βιβλίο παραπέμπουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό στις θεωρητικές θέσεις των τριών βασικών εκπροσώπων της «ρητορικής εκδοχής» της Αναγνωστικής Θεωρίας. Το κύριο συμπέρασμά μας είναι ότι η διδασκαλία της Λογοτεχνίας στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση, συγκεκριμένα στην Α΄ τάξη του Γυμνασίου, αξιοποιεί εκτός από την «ερμηνευτική εκδοχή» και τη «ρητορική εκδοχή» της Αναγνωστικής Θεωρίας, εφόσον στηρίζεται και χρησιμοποιεί αρκετές από τις θέσεις, τους όρους και τις έννοιες που συναντούμε στις θεωρίες των βασικών εκπροσώπων της «ρητορικής εκδοχής». Η διαπίστωση αυτή μπορεί να διευρύνει και να εμπλουτίσει ουσιαστικά τις διδακτικές προσεγγίσεις της Λογοτεχνίας στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση. / This paper focuses on the approach of the poems contained in the Texts of Modern Greek Literature, the A΄ class of the Gymnasium. This approach was attempted in accordance with the «rhetoric version» of Reader-Response Theory, the basis of which, is formed by theories of: Roman Jakobson, Paul de Man and Wayne Booth. Our basic assumption that the whole approach of the poems for the first grade of the High school is governed by the «rhetoric version», not only by the «hermeneutic», as described by the Curriculum (2002), confirmed. From the analysis of the material employed, which includes nineteen (19) poems, there are some interesting findings. More specifically, our study found that the poems of A΄ class of high school there are several rhetorical modes, such as metonymy, personification, rhetorical question, symbol, allegory, irony, principal, however, the metaphor. Also, the poems were recorded concepts of implied author and implied reader, while several of the questions/ tasks that accompany each poem in the text book refer largely to the theoretical positions of the three main representatives of the «rhetoric version» of Reader-Response Theory. The main conclusion is that the teaching of Literature in Secondary School, specifically in the first grade of high school, utilizes the «rhetorical version» of Reader-Response Theory, apart from the «hermeneutic» one, since it is based on and uses many of the views, terms and concepts encountered in the theories of fundamentals representatives of the «rhetorical version». This finding can broaden and enrich substantially the teaching approaches of Literature in Secondary Education.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study was to investigate the controlled transfer of meaning that could be facilitated by the application of knowledge of sense-making theory. An object of communication, an advertisement, was consciously constructed on the basis of sense-making principles. An application of knowledge of sense making was then employed to assess the reception of the advertisement by a selected sample of respondents. The decision to select advertising as the choice of medium for the study stemmed from the increasing levels of criticism directed at this form of communication as a result of its frequent failure to deliver intended benefits for its sponsors. The intended benefits relate to the transfer of meaning that would prompt recipients of advertising messages to take an action that would be of value to the advertiser. More specific criticisms have centred on the failure of a growing number of advertising messages to deliver meaningful benefits as a result of their lack of relevance for the intended recipients of these communications. A call for a shift in mind-set away from traditional linear models currently employed to facilitate the design of advertising messages has prompted a growing recognition of the need to employ a more empathetic approach that would facilitate a positive interaction between an advertiser and a target audience. The emergence of what has been termed experiential marketing communications has advocated a view that advertising communications can promote stronger allegiances between organisations and their customers by the inclusion of meaningful sensory associations for recipients. This view, together with the insights revealed by those working in the field of sense making, suggested that the incorporation of sense-making theory could well accommodate the paradigm shift that has been called for in the design of advertising communications. The views and insights outlined above prompted the development of an advertisement that sought to incorporate sense-making theory into its construction. The requirement to allow for the transfer of intended meaning in the advertisement was facilitated by incorporating frames and cues, the design of which sought to assist in the resolution of equivocality and enable respondents to bridge cognitive gaps. The investigation took the form of an exploratory case study. The advertisement, constructed on the basis of sense-making theory, represented the control element of the study. In-depth interviews were conducted amongst grade 12 learners selected on the basis of their matching the target audience for which the advertisement had been designed. The semi-structured nature of the interviews followed a format that allowed for a comparison to be made between the intended input of meaning and the decoding of responses relating to the advertisement. Results indicated that there was a transfer of intended meanings incorporated into the advertisement as indicated in the decoded responses of respondents. These positive findings tend to indicate that a conscious application of sense-making theory to the construction of advertising messages could enhance their effectiveness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die beheerde oordrag van betekenis, gefassiliteer deur die bepassing van kennis van die “sense-making” teorie, te ondersoek. ‘n Voorwerp van kommunikasie, ‘n advertensie, is doelbewus geskep op grond van die beginsels van die “sense-making” teorie. ‘n Toepassing van kennis van dié teorie is aangewend om die impak van die advertensie op ‘n steekproef van reagente te assesseer. Weens die voortdurende mislukking van die advertensie medium om beplande voordele aan die borge te lewer, styg vlakke van kritiek gerig tot hierdie medium. Juis hierdie statistiek het die besluit om die advertensie medium as voorwerp van studie te gebruik, laat ontwikkel. Die beplande voordele vir die borge hou direk verband met die oordrag van die betekenis wat die ontvanger van die advertensie boodskap sal aanpar om op te tree, en sodoende tot voordeel van die adverteerder sal strek. Kritiek is spesifiek gerig op die mislukking van al hoe meer advertensies wat nie betekenisvolle voordele lewer nie as gevolg van die irrelevansie van die vorm van kommunikasie vir die ontvanger. Die herkenning van die groeiende behoefde het ‘n beroep gemaak om ‘n paradigma skuif te maak, weg van die huidige, tradisionele, linêre model wat die ontwerp van advertensie boodskappe fassiliteer. Hierdie behoefte is om ‘n meer empatiese benadering in te stel, wat ‘n positiewe interaksie tussen die adverteerder en teiken gehoor sal fassiliteer. Die ontstaan van die sogenaamde “experietial marketing communications” het voorgestel dat die advertensie medium sterker getrouheid tussen organisasies en hul klante kan adverteer. Hierdie oogpunt, saam met die insig van dié gene wat in die veld van “sense making” werk, stel voor dat die inkorporasie van die “sense-making” teorie, wel die paradigma skuif, beroep op die ontwerp van die advertensie, kan akkommodeer. Dit het die ontwikkeling van ‘n advertensie met die “sense-making” teorie in sy konstruksie geïnkorporeer, aangewaldeer. Die vereiste om die oordrag van die beplande betekenis van ‘n advertensie te bewerkstellig, is gefassiliteer deur sketse en aanwysings te inkorporeer. Hierdie sketse en aanwysings is ontwerp om die voorkoming/oplossing van dubbelsinnigheid te ondersteun en om reagente te help om kognitiewe gapings te oorbrug. Die ondersoek het die vorm van ‘n ontdekkings gevallestudie aangeneem. Die advertensie, gebaseer op die “sense-making” teorie, het die kontrole element van die studie verteenwoordig. Onderhoude is indiepte gevoer met graad 12 leerders wat gekeur is op grond van die feit dat hulle in die teikengroep van die ontwerpte advertensie val. Die semigestruktureerde aard van die onderhoude het toegelaat dat die voorafbeplande blootstelling aan die betekenis vergelyk word met die dekodering van die terugvoering in verband met die advertensie. Resultate het gewys dat daar wel ‘n oordrag van die beplande, geïnkorporeerde betekenis in die advertensie plaas gevind het, wat bewys is in as ‘n dekodeerde reaksie van die reagent. Hierdie positiewe bevindings neig om te bewys dat ‘n bewuste aanwending van die “sensemaking” teorie tot die konstruksie van die advertensie wese die effektiewiteit van boodskappe verbeter.

Storytelling har identifierats som en effektiv marknadsföringsmetod och många företag har bemästrat konsten att berätta historier. Storytelling används för att skapa en emotionell respons hos den tilltänkta målgruppen, och om företag på ett framgångsrikt kan göra detta kan det vara ett sätt att differentiera sig själva. Metoden har länge framhållits som nyckeln till framgång, men är detta hela sanningen? Därav vill vi med studien besvara; hur påverkar storytelling reklameffektiviteten? Syftet med uppsatsen var att undersöka, beskriva och föra en diskussion gällande storytelling och dess effekter som marknadsföringsmetod. Resultatet av denna studie visar att storytelling är effektivare än traditionell produktbaserad reklam. Dock finns det skillnader i dess effekt på olika produktkategorier. Enligt studien fungerar storytelling bättre när engagemanget för produkten är lågt och när köpet av den har ett transformativt eller känsloförhöjande motiv. Resultatet av studien leder till ökad förståelse för när storytelling som marknadsföringsmetod är effektiv. / Storytelling has been identified as an effective marketing method, and many companies have mastered the art of telling stories. Storytelling is used to create an emotional response among the intended audience, and if companies can successfully do this, it can be a way of differentiating themselves. The method has long been emphasized as the key to success, but is this the whole truth? Therefore, we want to answer; How does storytelling affect advertising effectiveness? The aim of the essay was to investigate, describe and discuss storytelling and its effects as a marketing method. The result of this study shows that storytelling is more efficient than traditional product-based advertising. However, there are differences in its effect on different product categories. According to the study, storytelling works better when the commitment to the product is low and when its purchase has a transformative or emotional enhancement. The result of the study leads to an increased understanding of when storytelling as a marketing method is effective.

This dissertation examines the complex story of Korah’s rebellion found in Numbers 16 and 17 utilizing narrative critical theory. This study is first grounded in the context of historical questions surrounding Israel’s emergence as a nation and the narrative’s potential for historical veracity. Many narrative critics do not feel the theoretical necessity to establish the connection between an autonomous text and a historical context. This study does seek to collaborate with historical research, but only as permitted by the data. Though only biblical and tangential evidence supports the historicity of the wilderness sojourn, the narrative accounts should not be repudiated because of philosophical bias or the lack of corroborative extra biblical evidence. Especially important to a literary interpretation of this narrative is the work of source critics who during their own enquiries have identified the fractures and transitions within the story. In considering the text of Numbers 16 and 17, the hermeneutical approach employed in this study carefully endorses a balanced incorporation of the theoretical constructs of the author, text, and reader in the interpretive enquiry. From this hermeneutical approach recent literary theory is applied to the texts of Numbers 16 and 17 focusing particular attention on three narrative themes. First, the narrator’s point of view is examined to determine the manner that information is relayed to the reader so as to demur the rebellion leaders. Though features of characterization are often meager in biblical narratives, there remains sufficient data in this rebellion story to support the aims of the Hebrew writers and does not undermine the reader’s engagement with the story’s participants. Finally, the three separate plotlines in this narrative sustain the dramatic effect upon the readership holding attention and judgment throughout and beyond the story. In sum, this dissertation highlights the powerful contours of this ancient narrative by appropriating the theoretical work of narrative critics. The strategies employed in the writing and editing of this story uniquely condemn the rebels and at the same time serve to elevate God’s chosen leader Moses. / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

This study focuses on meaning construction as it occurs in the reading act. It explores and challenges the view that the reader usually uses language to construct meaning in a referential way. This study envisages that the reader who engages in a literal reading of the text may encount~r serious epistemological and ontological problems which ensue from such a narrow reading of the text. In the context of the dynamics of meaning construction, this study subsequently problematizes the notion of language vis-avis the notion of subjectivity and representation. It challenges the taken for granted assumption that meaning is pre-ordained and which has to be extracted by a sovereign and authoritative reading subject. The question of precision and correctness of grasping textual content is addressed by exploring those views which seek to go beyond Cartesian representationalism. This study therefore critically explores an alternative reading theory by examining the pioneering dialogical views of earlier theorists to include, ultimately, those subversive attempts of radical theorists. The latter group clearly seeks to subvert and even displace the dialogical reading practices of their predecessors. This study ultimately proposes the notion of a differential reading discourse. Such an integrative theory postulates an alternative theory of reading which in fact provides a more expansive, yet inclusive, framework of reading. This would entail a form of reading which would combat the mere consumption of meanings and acquiescence into ideology-building. It would be a reading framework that is more in keeping with our socio-political reality in South Africa, in which people can enjoy a far more critical and comprehensive view of themselves and of the society in which they operate. / Information Science / D.Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

M.A. (Library & Information Science) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Reading and understanding literature does not necessarily have to be an individual act. The aim of this essay is to investigate what happens when six students read a text by Kazuo Ishiguro A Family Supper and then discuss it in a communicative situation. The essay bases its ideas on the sociocultural theory and the reader-response theory. The sociocultural perspective argues that people develop and progress during social interaction, moreover by communicating with other people and by being inspired and subsequently educated through taking part in different social contexts. My idea with this essay is to observe a literary discussion in a group. The observation emphasizes both the individual contribution to the literary discussion and the function of the group. By analyzing the participation of the individual students, I reached the conclusion that the students deal with literature in many different ways. Some focus only on the text and the plot, others discuss social issues in connection to the text and some only respond to the others’ arguments. When studying the group, I looked at the balance in the group, the turn taking between the members and the level of participation. The reader-response theory bases its idea on the reader and the text and the fact that they are connected in a mutual transaction. Every reader brings his or her experiences to the understanding of the text and thereby a text can have multiple alternative interpretations considering the amount of readers. The analysis section in this essay consists of several parts, such as an individual reflection, a group discussion and an individual evaluation.