What is intertextuality and why is it important for audiences?

• A. Texts reference other texts, creating intertextual meaning and cultural literacy; audiences bring knowledge to recognize allusions.
• B. Intertextuality means texts are independent and never refer to other works.
• C. Intertextuality describes how films are financed.
• D. Intertextuality only concerns audiences' preferences for genres.

Answer: (A)

Intertextuality is when texts reference or echo other texts, so meaning arises from a conversation with earlier works rather than the text alone. This creates layered meaning and depends on audiences recognizing those allusions, drawing on their existing knowledge to interpret jokes, themes, or critiques. For audiences, it matters because it situates a work within broader cultural conversations, rewards attentive viewers with deeper understanding, and shows how media speaks to each other. The other descriptions miss what intertextuality is, focusing on independence, financing, or just genre taste instead of how references between texts generate extra meaning.