Reading the unwritten: Reader- response Analysis of Gillian Flynn’s The Grown-up

Reader-Response theory is a vast area in which one can find many intertwining theories including Phenomenological,hermeneutical and reception theories. Wolfgang Iser’s world view is close to Phenomenology which focusses on theprocess of reading and the effect of work of art on individuals’ consciousness. Iser has emphasized less on the authorand more on the combination of text, the subjectivity and instability of readers’ perceptions along with social andcultural aspects of the context. Negativity referring to the importance of the unknown, according to Iser, is a verysubstantial element in creation of meanings in readers’ minds. The current study has deployed the ideas of Iser to theshort story of Gillian Flynn entitled Grown Up (2015) which is a ghost story in which prior knowledge and activeengagement of the reader is required. The results show that by a combination of familiar and unfamiliar elements, theauthor managed to bridge the past with present and unknown with the known, and as a result adds a new dimension toher story. The other important issue in studying Grown Up is the role of cultural presuppositions which the storyexploits in order to create a feeling of indeterminacy essential for any ghost story.

Keywords:

Reception theory , Wolfgang Iser , Repertoire & Strategies , Negativity , Phenomenology , Grown Up