Final answer:
Intertextuality involves the referencing, quoting, or alluding to other texts within a literary work. It encompasses both explicit citations and more subtle connections to enhance the richness of analysis, and attribution is crucial for credibility and to avoid plagiarism. Parallel reading helps understand literature in historical context.
Step-by-step explanation:
Intertextuality is a literary concept that denotes the phenomenon when one text references, quotes, or alludes to another text. This can include personal associations with text material, connections to other "texts" you have read, and the use of recurring images, symbols, diction, phrases, ideas, and conclusions. Intertextuality can also be evident when a text adheres to rhetorical practices, such as integrating sources and quotations in ways that are effective for achieving the writer's intention. An example of this may include a writer quoting a passage and then discussing its relation to the topic at hand, thus creating a richer understanding of the subject material.
Attribution is essential when quotations are used, as it ensures the original author is credited and aids readers in understanding the context of the quoted material. Furthermore, proper and consistent citation avoids plagiarism and joins the academic conversation regarding the subject.
Parallel reading is another concept related to intertextuality, where a literary work is analyzed in conjunction with other contemporary texts, such as newspaper articles or political documents, to construct a deeper understanding of the historical context and cultural implications during the time the literary work was produced. This form of reading helps uncover how a work of literature can influence societal attitudes, as in the case with Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and its impact on the abolitionist movement.