Hi Ritva,
I agree on the different levels of meaning - in addition, many authors comment on how readers "hear" things that they never intended to write.
Criticism of structure is, IMO, fine if one believes that there is a magic formula for the correct way to write a "great" piece of literature.
IMO the only real test is do people read the the work and enjoy it (whether at an emotional or intellectual level).
This discussion all began with The Hobbit. It certainly isn't the best structured book in the world; neither is it the best written. However, generations of children have read and re-read it.
Sue's initial question summed up the important issue - why is a book that is so technically flawed so popular? I would suggest that the answer lies in the fact that the structure of literature actually bears little relationship to the success of the piece - readers are responding to something very different.
Pete
God is our guide! from field, from wave, From plough, from anvil, and from loom; We come, our country's rights to save, And speak a tyrant faction's doom: We raise the watch-word liberty; We will, we will,we will be free!