Invitation

 Written by English poet Shel Silverstein 

 Invitation for those readers who are interested in the world of art
and literature 
 Title is suggestive and symbolic 
 Purpose is to invite the students who are interested in the work of
imagination. 

The speaker/persona requests every kind of reader to become a

dynamic or creative reader in this poem.

Four levels of Interacting with Texts 

 Proficient readers often interact with texts at four levels: 
 
1. Literal Comprehension 
 Before anything else, we must understand what the text is saying. In an
essay, literal comprehension often implies the ability to restate the argument. In
novels, short stories, poems and plays, it implies a concise retelling in our own
words. 
 
 
2. Interpretation 
 Key points of works of fiction and non - fiction are often implied (and not
directly stated). As a reader of a short story, for example, we must decipher the
meaning behind the plot. 
 
 
3. Critical Thinking 
 Here, in this level, one tries to see things as clearly and objectively as one
can. Here, one asks such questions as: where did the author go wrong? Which
statements can't I accept? Why can't I accept them? Etc. 
 
 
4. Assimilation 
 This involves making something of what you have just read a part of
yourself. Texts are written and designed to touch the readers, to impact their
lives, to change their ways of looking at the world. So, here our concern is:
what is meaning of this text for me? Can I tie this text to something I already
know? Can it help me understand anything I didn't understand before? Does it
suggest some connections that I never perceived before?  
 

 
Four Levels of Interaction

Literal Comprehension:  
This poem “Invitation” has been composed by 20th century American poet Shel
Silverstein. The speaker in the poem invites different persons with different natures
with them to accompany with her. He invites the readers who are imaginative as
dreamers or even liars who always tell a lie. Hopers who for something are prayer
of religious deities or persons with magical power are invited to her. He even
invites to the pretenders who pretend to be superior or greater to others. So who
ever the readers are all are invited by the speaker to sit by him to spin Flex Golden
Tales. The tales are more colorful and very much imaginative, adventurous and
with many more outstanding qualities. He invites the readers for four times to
accompany him unfolding Flex-Golden Tales. 
 
Interpretation 
The poem “Invitation” might be trying to create good readerships in young
generation. Modern young people are not so much interested in reading and enjoy
in the literatures. May be they haven’t properly been invited to read. Not being
interested in reading the children are more pretenders, liars, magic been players
and so on. When they have inner desire for study they will start to read and will be
co-readers to spin, colorful Flax-Golden Tales. The speaker’s intension seems to
make readers and other people to be more imaginative, creative and have fun in
literatures.  
 
Critical Thinking 
The basic intension of the poem seems to make people more creative and
productive making a good habit of study. It has easily drawn the attention of
different readers. With the repetitive structural pattern the poet seems to be able to
convince the readers to go with him to spin some beautiful stories and nice pieces
of literatures. The multiple use of ‘come’ has focused much on the importance of
reading and value of good reader. How can one be more creative and interested in
literatures if there is no passion with him? Only invitation without interest becomes
useless. Still the poem seems to raise some keen interest for reading.  
 
Assimilation 
Before reading this poem I didn’t give keen passion to literature. I had much
interest in music, song and sports I used to think literature doesn’t do any practical
thing in our life. When I read this poem, I got a vision that literature, creative
works are also the main sources of internal entertainment or happiness, Dreamer,
liar, pretender, prayer all could be adjusted in the vast arena of literature. To spin
Flex-Golden tales inspired me to enjoy the world of imagination, creativity, and
vision, our life can’t always be charming if we don’t love reading by heart.  

What are some techniques to deal with the text as four levels of
meaning?
Ans: There come four levels or steps to deal with this type of question. We have to
do it following way.

i. Literal Comprehension: This means summarizing the text. What the text

intends to show we have to write in our language. In the poem, a paraphrase of the
text is to write in our language. Who is the writer? Where is the story or event
taken place? When did it happen? Restate the argument of the writer in the essay.
In drama or play, we have just to retell what is happening in the text in our own
words.
ii. Interpretation: In writing interpretation, we must write is the crux, central or
thematic ideas of the lesion or the text. We have to mention which is not said
directly or indirectly intended to say. The twistingly given ideas are presented in
the interpretation. What is the main lesson or moral of the text is mentioned here?
The main argument of the writer is specified clearly. We have to dig out the
meaning behind the plot or surface of the text in this section.

iii. Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is a type of city scans of the text to find
out loopholes, weaknesses, and faults of the writer. We have to present our
agreements and disagreements as clearly and objectively as possible. Our duty is to
separate the wheat from the chaff. We have to present what is good and what is
bad? Where has the writer gone wrong? Why can’t we accept the ideas given? We
have to make a critical analysis of the given text. What new contributing aspects
we have got from the text are traced out.

iv. Assimilation: Assimilation focuses on some of the questions’ answers. What

we got after reading the text? Is there any difference between before reading the
text and after reading it? We have to realize the essences of the text by heart. We
can share our similar type of experience with that of the writer. Also  we can cite
anyone’s life event or experience to relate to the text. What is the meaning of the
text to me is the main focus of assimilation? This means, what we can utilize as
readers after reading the text. Is the text able to provide you to get something that
you didn’t know previously? Has the text been able to change your looking
perspective to life or not? Etc. like aspects are dealt with in the assimilation part.

Summarize the poem “Invitation” in a single sentence.

Ans: The poet has invited to all types of reader who have creativity and
productivity to take part in his programme of reciting beautiful tales so that they
can enjoy in the world of literature and creativity.