Multiple readings are valuable when they explain the text. They are not equally strong simply because both are possible in theory.
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-09-14
Learning goal
Test competing interpretations against the same evidence instead of treating ambiguity as unlimited meaning.
How to read this model
- Hold evidence constant.
- State two readings precisely.
- List evidence each explains.
- Look for contradictory or later evidence.
- Reach a qualified judgement.
Steps in the model
- Shared evidence – Use the same detail or recurring pattern as the test case.
- Reading A – State the inference and what evidence it explains well.
- Reading B – State a genuinely plausible alternative.
- Stress test – Check recurrence, contradiction, context and later evidence.
- Judgement – Prefer, combine or qualify readings based on explanatory power.
Explanation
Alternative interpretation is not a requirement to be indecisive. It is a method for checking whether your first reading explains the whole pattern.
Examples
- A bridge may represent both connection and separation if both functions recur.
- A narrator may be limited without being deceptive; test which interpretation explains contradictions.
For the exam
Use an alternative reading to refine the main claim, not merely to add ‘on the other hand’.