Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall;
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King’s horses
And all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again!
I often tell my students that the meaning of a piece of literature, or really any piece of art, depends both on the intended meaning of the author and the experience-colored interpretation of the observer; any piece can have as many meanings as there are observers.
We also sometimes talk about the multiple meanings the author may be trying to convey; when they use metaphor in a single sentence or thread subtle, acerbic, poignant satire through a piece.
I can’t remember ever getting to the point of talking about unintentional meanings that seep into the work from the author’s unconscious, but these, sometimes I suspect, tell us the most about the nature of our shared humanity than intended meaning can.