First Literal Reading

The First Literal Reading is what words literally mean without the examination of their symbolic meaning. Before the blueness of the curtains represents any of its impressions, they first represent that the curtains are blue. The first literal meaning of a text is always a valid way to read a text. Few respectable symbolic readings of a text will argue that the curtains aren't literally blue: they will instead argue what blueness associates with and operates as a symbol for, and how that symbolic relationship is constructed.

The curtains can be both literally blue, and blue as a symbol: one reading does not invalidate the other, and conflicting symbolic readings do not invalidate each other either.