Victor Turner was a Scottish Anthropologist who claimed that symbols are multi vocal. That is, symbols (or texts) have many (potential) meanings.
Q: Accepting this claim, what is the significance of a single text having many meanings?
A: The significance of something having having more than one meaning is to open up discussions and to provide different perspective on what a symbol and phrase in a text might mean. It is up to the reader/viewer to interpret what they see, which can then later be discussed with other. Take religion, in example. Religions like Christianity and Islam are found globally, but all have their own unique perspective of what the text (Bible, Quran, Etc.) actually means. Therefore, cultures and communities can come together and compare their interpretations and learn from others.
In establishing national identity, why is it significant that a flag has no one, fixed meaning?
A flag should not have one fixed meaning to spark creativity in the communities of that country to what that flag represents for themselves and the entire country. Everyone is different, so what a flag might represent for other may not be something someone else aligns with, so other interpretations are formed to fit their personality and culture. This is important so that everyone has a sense of belonging in a community, and so that everyone connected with their flag in their own personal way.
If texts have unstable, multiple meanings, what is the significance for reading literature and other written texts?
Having multiple interpretations requires the ready to infer about what they are reading and to create their own perception. This allows for readers to have thoughts and ideas that are creative, more in-depth, and that have connections and relations to their personalities. If a piece of literature is cloudy and unclear, a story can be decided by the reader’s own interpretation and understanding of the text, which usually allows then to have more in-depth, creative responses to literary questions.
