But if you are actually claiming that you can tell an author’s intent from the title, I assume you would know that O. Henry intended “The Gift of the Magi” to be ironic, right? Because that must have really ruined the ending for you.
Similarly, the end of “The Wizard of Oz” where it turns out that title is actually meant to be a ruse because the wizard is not actually a wizard must have been a huge disappointment to you.
The rest of us, however, do not have this special ability you have and have to take titles at face value until we read the context.
Did you know without reading the book, watching the film or even just hearing the plot that there was no wizard in The Wizard of Oz? You knew it just from reading the title?
And let’s talk about movies- you would know without knowing anything about those films that “Chinatown” does not take place in Chinatown and “Fargo” does not take place in Fargo apart from a few seconds, right?
Another example which is wrong.
That’s not an example.
But if you are actually claiming that you can tell an author’s intent from the title, I assume you would know that O. Henry intended “The Gift of the Magi” to be ironic, right? Because that must have really ruined the ending for you.
Similarly, the end of “The Wizard of Oz” where it turns out that title is actually meant to be a ruse because the wizard is not actually a wizard must have been a huge disappointment to you.
The rest of us, however, do not have this special ability you have and have to take titles at face value until we read the context.
Great that it only applies to others and not yourself.
Did you not read the rest of my post?
Did you know without reading the book, watching the film or even just hearing the plot that there was no wizard in The Wizard of Oz? You knew it just from reading the title?
And let’s talk about movies- you would know without knowing anything about those films that “Chinatown” does not take place in Chinatown and “Fargo” does not take place in Fargo apart from a few seconds, right?
So, you can read the context to find that the way I interpreted it was the correct way.
Which is what people did. And which is not what people’s problem is.