How relevant are issues of authorship and authorial intention when analyzing or discussing works of popular fiction?

Which word best describes the tone of this excerpt from daly's sixteen

How do pip's feelings of guilt in chapter 6 fluctuate? a. he feels both guilty and exhilarated by the opportunity to interact with a convict. b. he doesn't feel any true guilt, but rather fear that he will be caught and self-loathing that he stole. c. he feels guilty, but only until the convict is found. d. he feels guilty for lying to joe, but not for stealing from mrs. joe, because he doesn't love her.

What similarities are there between melchizedek and the englishman santiago? explain