The Oppressive Narrative
An Ekphrastic Sonnet
By D. J. ReddallPublished 2 years ago • Updated 2 years ago • 1 min read
René Magritte, "The Submissive Reader," 1928
Many fear the oppressive narrative
The tale as tyrant, irresistible;
Full of directives bold, imperative
Molding minds with its hand, invisible
How meek and malleable are our minds?
Have you imbibed as gospel all you've read?
Narratives appear in myriad kinds
Ought any to elicit squealing dread?
Reading is not mere passive absorption
It always entails interpretation
Our intellects and imaginations
Embrace some things, and many others shun
Stories cannot oppress without our aid
By readers sense or nonsense must be made
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
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Comments (4)
My favourite was third stanza and last two lines. So brilliantly written!
Every new reader interprets a text in a different way. This is why I always reinforce the subjectivity of reviews. It's quite an intimate rapport, reader and book, I think.
Reading entails interpretation for sure and readers are so different from different experiences! 🫶🏻🫶🏻
This sonnet describes the notion of the art of reading. In “imbibing” the words of works of literature, we drink in ideas and continue down the pathway of righteousness.