History Main / Applicability

** Theory: Borges was/is a Time Lord.

*** However, he is not a lesbian. That's fucking insane.

* ''{{Watchmen}}''. Seriously, go to [[JustBugsMe/{{Watchmen}} the Just Bugs Me page for it]], and you'll see people who see Rorschach as the only heroic character, people who see Rorschach as the ''least'' sympathetic of all the characters, people who argue over exactly how long [[spoiler:Ozymandias's]] peace will last (and whether or not he was justified), people disgusted by Dr Manhattan's revelation over [[spoiler:the Comedian and Sally Jupiter getting together after he [[RapeIsLove attempted to rape her]],]] [[LongList and]] people who see that moment as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming. Which one is correct? All of them. AlanMoore just presents the characters as they are, leaving finding the theme to the reader.

** The infamous debate about the Balrog's wings is the result of this. The text itself about the balrog was vague but it has been fiercely debated whether or not the balrog has wings.

* ''[[TheLegendOfZelda Majora's Mask]]''. Is the game an adventure or a mystery? The one that you take into it (or out of it) will directly effect how much you enjoy the experience.

** The exact same thing was done with Geist, another game that can be interpreted as a First Person Shooter or an adventure game done in first person.

->''"The only thing Mr. Keuner said about style was: 'It should be quotable. A quote doesn't depend on its author. Who are the best sons? Those who cause the father to be forgotten!'"''
-->--'''BertoltBrecht'''

** The question of Rorschach's sexuality has been debated. AlanMoore [[WordOfGod says]] that Rorschach is asexual. Rorschach as depicted in ''Watchmen'' actually can support either viewpoint, it's just up to the readers' interpretation on what his sexuality is.

Often leads to PeripheryDemographic, MisaimedFandom, {{Shipping}}, BrokenBase, and/or InternetBackdraft. This the root of an EpilepticTree.

* ''{{Watchmen}}''. Seriously, go to [[JustBugsMe/{{Watchmen}} the Just Bugs Me page for it]], and you'll see people who see Rorschach as the only heroic character, people who see Rorschach as the ''least'' sympathetic of all the characters, people who argue over exactly how long [[spoiler:Ozymandias']] peace will last (and whether or not he was justified), people disgusted by Dr Manhattan's revelation over [[spoiler:the Comedian and Sally Jupiter getting together after he [[RapeIsLove attempted to rape her]],]] [[LongList and]] people who see that moment as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming. Which one is correct? All of them. AlanMoore just presents the characters as they are, leaving finding the theme to the reader.

** And it probably doesn't hurt that Jesus is actually quite an important figure in Islam, ([[CaptainObvious just not to the extent as in Christianity]]). In Islam, he's the second most important prophet.
*** Muslims are forbidden from choosing between their prophets, though Jesus was certainly a prominent one compared to many others and according to some highly contested ahadith will be again come Judgment Day. And why do they like the story? How about ''because it's a good story''?

Relies on assuming the DeathOfTheAuthor. Compare LowestCommonDenominator. Contrast with TheWalrusWasPaul, where the audience tries to find meaning in a work when in fact the work isn't ''supposed'' to have a hidden meaning -- the author's just fucking with them.

** That last one makes a lot more sense if you [[DracoInLeatherPants sympathize way too much with Quentin Quire]] like, umm, [[OrSoIHeard some of us]] do.

->''"I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other resides in the purposed domination of the author."''

* Miguel de Cervantes originally wrote ''DonQuixote'' as a spoof of KnightErrant tales, but its hero was interpreted as idealism personified for many readers. Annoyed, Cervantes wrote a sequel to hammer home the point [[MisaimedFandom the readers apparently missed]]. Much to his shock, the second half of was considered more brilliant and well received. Different ages have tended to read different things into the novel. When first published, it was usually interpreted as a comic novel. After the French Revolution it was popular in part due to its central ethic that individuals can be right while society is quite wrong and seen as disenchanting?not comic at all. In the 19th century it was seen as a social commentary, but no one could easily tell "whose side Cervantes was on."

Applicability is the reader interpreting what the ''theme'' of any given work is. Sometimes a reader's interpretation of the meaning of the story is very different from authorial intent. Or put another way, writing something that is able to have multiple interpretations, only some of which are those that the author specifically intended. Applicability can give a fictional work different interpretations even on different readings.

Sometimes a work was written to be {{Anvilicious}} despite hammering the creator's purposed theme will have an alternate interpretation of the work on part of the audience.

A closely related trope is AlternateCharacterInterpretation which deals with characters.

**In a letter, a fan asked Tolkien if the flying steeds of the Nazgul were based on pterodactyls. His reply was no. However, he went on to say that if that's what the reader thought they were, that's a valid interpretation of the text. (He did at another time, though, say that he thought dinosaurs were pretty cool, if not in those exact words.)