A finished work is constituted by editorial choice, not by its raw material
Evidence
A work can never be identified with the raw material collected for its compilation. It is the definitive choice, the way the component elements are disposed, the greater or lesser importance given to this or that element of those collected in the preparatory phase, which are precisely what constitute the effective work. — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1371
Categorization
Category: Definitional Content
- DEFINE: Establishes a criterion for what constitutes ‘the work’ versus preparatory material — useful methodological definition for assessing posthumous editions.