Reader response criticism is a literary critical theory, promoted and developed by a variety of literary theorists and critics. Depending on the person advancing the concept, the theory may take on any number of nuanced meanings. Generally speaking however, reader response criticism suggests that a text gains meaning by the purposeful act of a reader reading and interpreting it. The relationship between reader and text is highly valued — text does not exist without a reader. It is rather like the logic question of whether a tree falling in a forest makes a sound if no one is around to hear it. A text sitting on a shelf does nothing. It does not come alive until reader and text are joined.

Reader response criticism is often mistakenly believed to be a literary critical theory that allows for any interpretation of a text. Although interpretation under reader response criticism is given a wider berth than in formalist or structuralist critiques, not every interpretation is equally valid.

Reader response criticism also evaluates interpretive communities. Interpretive communities are groups of critics who have agreed upon certain elements in a text as being more significant than others. Feminist literary critics, for example, would prefer texts that support feminist thinking. Images of the feminine might be of more interest than predominantly masculine images.

The individual feminist critic would read a text with certain values in mind. The writer, attempting to appeal to the feminist critic, would promote these values in a text. Texts that have mass appeal are texts that would hold value with a number of interpretive communities. However, a text is valid, if when decoded by an interpretive community, it is found to be sound and without overt contradiction.

Some have likened reader response criticism to the way in which a community of judges interprets laws. When a judge is presented with a case, he or she is not only expected to uphold the law, but also to interpret the law. Interpretation of the law is key, and often defines how a judge is considered by society, as perhaps, conservative, moderate or liberal.

In reader response criticism, the reader and the interpretive community to which the reader belongs judges the work. This process breathes life into the text. Reader response criticism might look at the way in which different interpretive communities value a text, for historical purposes, or such critics might examine the ways in which some interpretive communities pose the best method for reading a text.

Traditionally, reader response criticism often adhered to formalist or new critical approaches in reading texts. In the 1980's, however, Stanley Fish, one of the theorists closely associated with the concept, suggested that the reader be taken into account. New critics evaluated texts without prejudices, but Fish argued that such a thing was not possible. The “I” of the reader will always color the text. The reader’s preferences in interpretation will always make certain aspects of a work more important than others.

In introducing the value of the reader, reader response criticism shares much with new historicism. The difference here is that the reader may not be at all interested in exploring themes common to new historicism, such as evaluation of the writer’s intention. Reader response criticism, just like new criticism, can completely ignore authorial intent, but it will judge how well the author succeeds based on acceptance of the author’s works by different interpretive communities.

With the concept of interpretative communities, reader response can be loosened up to permit a myriad of interpretations. A group of sixth graders, for example, constitutes an interpretive community. Often, when children of this age, or younger, are taught about literature, they are specifically asked what aspects of texts affect them. It is completely valid to offer multiple interpretations that are intricately tied to the young reader’s experiences. Often new criticism is introduced at this age, and students learn about symbols, metaphor, simile, and poetic structure.

As children age, they gain maturity as readers, giving them access to other interpretive communities. They might then become part of a feminist or deconstructionist reading audience, and texts will be judged accordingly. Reading choices will begin to be influenced by the way in which the reader values certain aspects of literature. The wise writer will attempt to come up with material that is handled well under various interpretations.