Page "Author" Paragraph 17

Expanding upon Foucault's position, Alexander Nehamas writes that Foucault suggests " an author [...] is whoever can be understood to have produced a particular text as we interpret it ", not necessarily who penned the text.

It is this distinction between producing a written work and producing the interpretation or meaning in a written work that both Barthes and Foucault are interested in.

Foucault warns of the risks of keeping the author's name in mind during interpretation, because it could affect the value and meaning with which one handles an interpretation.