Sounds like the professor may have been a fan of new criticism[1], which disregards the authors intent. This make some sense to me, because its not really that

Sounds like the professor may have been a fan of new criticism[1], which disregards the authors intent. This make some sense to me, because its not really that interesting to try to debate what may or may not have been going through someones head when they created something, especially if that person is long dead. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorial_intent#New_Criticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorial_intent#New_Criticism