Assertion (A):
The implied reader shifts attention from the real reading individual to a disembodied dimension of reception, intricately interwoven into the text.
Theoretical explanation:
The idea of the implied reader comes from theorists like Wolfgang Iser. It refers not to an actual, living reader but to a hypothetical reader envisioned by the text itself — someone who responds in a particular way based on the structure, gaps, and cues within the text.
Thus, attention shifts from the real reader (the physical person reading) to this constructed or textualized reader, who exists within the framework of the text itself.
Practical understanding:
When you read a novel, you’re not just reacting based on your personality; the text almost “guides” you to expect, interpret, and feel certain things — that's the dimension A is talking about.
✅ Therefore, Assertion A is correct.
Reason (R):
The "Dear Reader," invoked in the realist novels, is a fictional representation of the distant reader.
Theoretical explanation:
In many realist novels (like those by Dickens, Eliot, etc.), authors often break the fourth wall by addressing a "Dear Reader." This "Reader" is an imagined addressee within the story's framework — not an actual audience, but a constructed dialogue partner within the fiction.
Problem with R:
While this "Dear Reader" is indeed a fictional construction, it represents a personalized, not a distant, reader. It's often quite intimate — “Dear Reader, you must pity poor Amelia” — inviting emotional engagement.
Thus, R mischaracterizes the relationship: it wrongly calls it a "distant" reader when it is, in fact, often imagined as close, familiar, and emotionally connected.
Practical reading examples:
In novels like Jane Eyre or David Copperfield, the "Dear Reader" is addressed as someone close, creating intimacy rather than distance.
❌ Therefore, Reason R is incorrect.
Year-wise PYQs
