Reading an Ontology as Paratext

In his approach, Gérard Genette studies the elements of texts called paratext that are not the core of text but still influential for understanding or interpreting literature. He identified two different groups of paratext and divided them into peritext and epitext (Genette 1997). Peritext is strongly related to the author’s intention and includes elements like the title, preface, table of contents, etc. Epitext is separated from the text and consists of interviews, commentaries, letters by the author about the text, debates, etc. Both, they can guide and influence the interpretation of texts. Genette also states that paratext is very changeable, temporary fashion and can appear and disappear. In this contribution, I want arise the question whe
ther special kinds of representing the reader’s understanding of texts can be also seen as paratext. So, is it possible to expand the borders of Genette’s definition to integrate the reader’s mind?

(Source: Author's Abstract)