How to read a book #5: Be conscious of the worldview of the author

Every writer has a point of view, an outlook. They have values, beliefs and conclusions about life - we all do. This means no one really writes from a "neutral" perspective. The idea of the "neutral" human being is an illusion. Unless you can find a human being who believes nothing and values nothing.

A worldview has been defined as "A particular philosophy of life or conception of the world" (Oxford English Dictionary). A less "technical" definition would be, how you look at life and explain the good and the bad that we experience and that we do. A more formal word, "weltanschauung" (borrowed from the German language) is also used to describe this "world outlook/view". But with or without definitions, everyone has their own view. To break it down, we can use Ravi Zacharias model; "origin, meaning, morality destiny".

Origin refers to "where does life come from? Where do I come from?" Meaning refers to purpose, "Why am I here? What gives meaning to my life? What is a well-lived life?" Morality refers to ethics, right and wrong. Destiny refers to the final "destination" of all life, and how it should affect my present choices. When someone uses these four headings to explain what they believe, they have given you their worldview.

How does this help understand a book? Know that every author has a world view. Read about the life of George Orwell, then read one of his books and you will see his values and perspective oozing out of almost every page! A world view wont necessarily be obvious all the time (e.g. in a Mathematics text book). But in novels and biographies it will be abundant.

I am not saying world views are bad - no human could live without one. I am saying, even as you read a book, evaluate the world view. Decide whether you can agree with it or not. Give credit for good points and spot the bad arguments. Part of good reading involves making value judgments about the content of a book, as well as evaluating and may be enjoying the writing skill. Also, be ready to have your own world view challenged in the process. 

One more thing. Many world views are inconsistent. Someone may hold contradictory beliefs. The fact that one is a writer does not mean they have answered all the questions of life, or even answered any of them well. You may well be ahead of the writer in some perspectives. The fact that it is in print does not automatically mean it is correct or authoritative. Many people cling to philosophies that are impossible to live by, but never realise that. Some people are compassionate, contradicting their own harsh utilitarian philosophy. Others are cruel, despite their rhetoric about promoting human dignity. Read, and evaluate as you read. Remember to look out for the belief behind the story, the meaning between the lines.