"Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar" (Response to Andrea's Comment)

“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar”

I agreed completely with Andrea’s comment on how every interprets literature a little differently. An object that has an important meaning to someone may not have any importance to another. Because of these differences, I feel this is where students studying literature become frustrated with interpretation.

            Too often in high school, I was forced to discover the “right” answer or meaning for the interpretation of a piece of literature. I always felt that the task was impossible; there is not right or wrong answer. Everyone reads literature differently. It’s meant for everyone to find their own personal connections and meanings. Trying to discover the “right” meaning of a poem or paragraph only frustrate those who are studying it.