Punctuation and the Writer/Reader Relationship: Adding to Vernon Lee’s Consideration of The Ambassadors

Abstract

Abstract:In Vernon Lee’s essay, “The Handling of Words,” she comments on a selection from The Ambassadors to illustrate her theory of how a writer uses words to direct the thoughts and feelings of the reader in order to re-create the writer’s intent. In addition to words, I will show that James’s use of punctuation is an integral part of what Lee posits as the relationship created between the writer and the reader. Lee’s focus on words and my addition of punctuation marks present an interesting approach to revealing a usually unnoticed “subset” of meaning and purpose in a writer’s work.