Question

An “implied reader” is a ________

• A. reader who participates in creating the meaning of a text
• B. reader who anticipates authorial intention
• C. hypothetical reader, not the actual reader, that the text addresses
• D. reader who reads critically against the grain of the text

Hint:

The implied reader exists within the text and guides how meaning is expected to be produced.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Defining the concept.
The term “implied reader” was introduced by Wolfgang Iser in reader-response theory.
Step 2: Nature of the implied reader.
The implied reader is a textual construct created by the author through narrative strategies, assumptions, and gaps in the text.
Step 3: Distinction from actual reader.
It does not refer to the real person reading the text, but to an ideal or hypothetical reader presupposed by the text itself.
Step 4: Evaluation of options.
Options (A), (B), and (D) describe real reading practices, not the theoretical construct of the implied reader.
Step 5: Conclusion.
Hence, the correct answer is option (C).