In literary analysis the author's intention is generally not viewed as the final word on how a story should be interpreted. There's an extensive debate around t

In literary analysis the author's intention is generally not viewed as the final word on how a story should be interpreted. There's an extensive debate around this question of authorial intent: https://www.britannica.com/art/intentional-fallacy https://www.britannica.com/art/intentional-fallacy While it's interesting to know what meaning the author might have had in mind, I personally wouldn't view it in a prescriptive sense when evaluating a story.