Memes and Meaning
Description
Drawing from literature, philosophy, theology, and cultural critique, this short and accessible book challenges modern conceptions of meaning as something to be consumed rather than created. The book reframes meaning as an act of mediation, not transmission.
Meaning is not the successful delivery of content; it is the forging of relation between speaker and hearer, text and reader, past and future. Patrycja Austin and Simon Perry consider a wide range of sources including classical literature, ancient philosophy, the Bible, medieval literature, and contemporary American fiction. In a world where connection feels increasingly elusive, this book offers a path back to presence, showing how texts allow us to 'show up' for one another across the boundaries of time, language, and being.
This interdisciplinary book will appeal to readers interested in literature and theology, philosophy and literature, literary ethics, and critical theory.
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Persons
Patrycja Austin is Assistant Professor of English at The Institute of Neophilology, University of Rzeszów, Poland. Her work focuses on medieval and early modern literature, Shakespeare, and critical theory, with particular attention to the dialogue between literature and philosophy.
Simon Perry is Chaplain, Tutor, and Fellow at Robinson College, University of Cambridge, UK. His research explores the intersections of hermeneutics, political theology, and cultural critique. His publications include Black's New Testament Commentary on the Gospel of Saint Luke (2025) and Resurrecting Interpretation (2012).
Content
Acknowledgements; Introduction: The Myth of Meaning; 1. Phaedrus: Hermeneutical Circles in the Sand; 2. The Gospel of Luke: This Text Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us; 3. The Wanderer: On the Brink of Honesty; 4. Gawain and the Green Knight: The Ideological Defeat of Camelot; 5. Hamlet: Mental Health During Societal Meltdown; 6. North Woods: Getting Over Yourself; Conclusion. A Sparrow's Flight; Index