"Reading, like writing, is a creative act. If readers only bring a narrow range of themselves to the book, then they'll only see their narrow range reflected in it"

Ben Okri's quote elaborates on the synergistic relationship between reading and imagination. He recommends that reading surpasses the passive absorption of details; it needs the active engagement of the reader's creativity, feelings, and intelligence. This idea posits reading as a vibrant, participatory procedure instead of a simple usage of text.

When Okri discusses that reading is akin to writing and is a "creative act", he indicates that the reader, like the writer, contributes something unique to the narrative experience. The author provides a structure-- a set of words, stories, and characters-- but it depends on the reader to infuse these aspects with individual significance, drawing on their own experiences, feelings, and analyses. Simply as a writer produces a world out of concepts and language, a reader recreates that world in their mind, utilizing their imaginative professors to bring the text to life.

Okri's assertion highlights the limitations enforced by a narrow technique to reading. If readers approach a text with a restricted perspective, constrained by presumptions or an absence of openness, they risk seeing only what aligns with their existing worldview. This narrow variety of engagement decreases the text's ability to stimulate brand-new insights or challenge the reader's viewpoints. In essence, by bringing just a small part of themselves to the reading experience, readers see just a reflection of that small part, losing out on the full spectrum of possibilities the text offers.

Eventually, Okri appears to advocate for an expansive and unbiased method to reading, advising readers to bring the entire breadth of their ideas, sensations, and experiences to the table. This openness allows readers to see beyond the surface area, to explore new ideas, and to experience the transformative power of literature. By doing so, reading ends up being not just an act of understanding the written word however an exploration of the self and the broader world.