"A reader makes a poem as he reads.  He does not see an unalterable meaning that lies within the text.  He creates meaning from the confrontation." (p.39)

How do we understand the role of authorial intent from the perspective reader-response theory?  It seems that some texts are inextricably linked to the historical context in which it as written, as such, how much credence should we give to the social context of the text?  

Also, one of the most unique aspects of the study of literature is its ability to introduce us to the personality of history; instead of dry facts we give stories, fiction and non-fiction, that give insight to the human experience that is often lost in dry history books.  How does a reader-response theorist justify not giving students access to history contained within a text? Or how would we incorporate implementing history into a reader-response discussion?  

How would a reader-response theorist view assessment? If there are an infinite number of readings of a text, how do we assess each reading? It seems we position ourselves to evaluate the quality of the reading as opposed to the substance. What are the demarcations of a quality reading from a reader-reponse perspective?