Cross-cultural Reader Response and Relevance in Dickens and James: A Synergistic Analysis of RT and RRT

– The aim of the present study is to explore cross-cultural reader response through a human intelligence (HI) and artificial intelligence (AI) cognitive-driven approach. The study employs a qualitative textual analysis research method, using a systematic sampling method. Eight participants from different cultural settings were brought together. The study focuses on six selected fictional works (e.g., The Old Curiosity Shop, The Golden Bowl) authored by Charles Dickens and Henry James, adopting the combination of Relevance Theory (RT) and Reader Response Theory (RRT). Findings reveal that human intelligence (HI) and artificial intelligence (AI) cognitive-driven tools facilitate readers’ meaning-making. Additionally, interpreting and appreciating literary works allow readers to enhance their cognitive abilities and how readers grasp the meaning of textual narratives and shape their responses to these texts. Future research could explore how this trend impacts cross-cultural reader response to Dickens’s and James’s works, which would add more depth to the current study.