Well, some might say that there's no way to know what a work was "meant to
contain."  Or, why would any one person be the one to identify that a
given work "contains" some thigns and not others.  What about the role of
the reader?
        I am consciously aware that I've chosen to read MT's Roughing It
in a specific way, with an eye to specific things.  I am willing to
explicate the bulk of the book and "over-analyze" in light of my stated
goal, but I admit I'm doing so.  However, although it's not as if I'm
using anything that isn't "in" the text, I suppose some might find my
reading "wrong"--on what real grounds, though?