Kroll raises a number of important critical questions about texts and meaning, particularly concerning the nature of authority and the reader’s role in creating meaning. He focuses on students’ efforts to think reflectively about literary representation, historical truth, and moral justification. Drawing on John Dewey’s concept of reflective inquiry, Kroll asserts that his course did not challenge his students to "acquire" information, but rather to "inquire"—to explore, probe, and query.