Against Interpretation by Susan Sontag
- 1. Against Interpretation is a significant essay by Susan Sontag, published in 1964, which critiques the tendency of art critics and scholars to impose rigid interpretations on works of art, particularly in the realm of literature and film. Sontag argues that the primary focus of art should not be to decode its meaning or to fit it into established frameworks of understanding; instead, she advocates for an appreciation of the sensory experience that artworks provide. Through her incisive examination of the relationship between art and interpretation, Sontag posits that reducing art to mere concepts diminishes its impact and beauty, stripping it of its emotional and experiential depth. Furthermore, she suggests that society's obsession with interpretation often leads to a neglect of the aesthetic qualities of art, encouraging viewers to engage with artworks on a more visceral level. In a time marked by a growing fixation on meaning-making, Sontag's call to embrace ambiguity and complexity resonates, urging audiences to experience art with a sense of openness rather than an analytical approach that seeks to categorize and simplify. Her work remains relevant as it challenges us to reconsider how we engage with art and its myriad forms, prompting an ongoing discourse about the nature of interpretation itself.
What is the central argument of Susan Sontag's 'Against Interpretation'?
A) The only valid interpretation is a Marxist one.
B) Interpretation is the highest form of art criticism.
C) We should focus on the sensory experience of art, not its meaning.
D) Art should be interpreted through a psychoanalytic lens.
- 2. What does Sontag propose as an alternative to interpretation?
A) A sociological analysis of art.
B) A hermeneutics of art.
C) An erotics of art.
D) A biographical study of the artist.
- 3. What does 'an erotics of art' emphasize?
A) The emotional narrative of a work.
B) The hidden sexual symbolism in a work.
C) The form and sensory impact of a work.
D) The romantic life of the artist.
- 4. What is the 'myth' that Sontag says interpretation sustains?
A) That art is content.
B) That art is always beautiful.
C) That art is timeless.
D) That art is for the elite.
- 5. What is the title of the collection that includes 'Against Interpretation'?
A) The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.
B) Against Interpretation and Other Essays.
C) The Birth of Tragedy.
D) Ways of Seeing.
- 6. Sontag claims that interpretation is the revenge of what upon art?
A) The emotions.
B) The intellect.
C) The state.
D) The artist.
- 7. Sontag's essay is a critique of which dominant trend in mid-20th century criticism?
A) The focus on artistic biography.
B) The analysis of market value.
C) The study of art conservation.
D) The search for hidden meanings and symbols.
- 8. What does Sontag believe is sacrificed when we prioritize interpretation?
A) Our sensory experience of the work.
B) The historical context of the work.
C) The financial value of the work.
D) The artist's reputation.
- 9. What kind of art does Sontag suggest is 'free' in the sense she describes?
A) Art that is commercially successful.
B) Art that is non-representational or abstract.
C) Art that tells a clear story.
D) Art that is state-sponsored.
- 10. The essay concludes that the aim of all commentary on art should be what?
A) To finally decipher their true meaning.
B) To understand the artist's psychology.
C) To rank them in order of importance.
D) To make works of art more real to us.
- 11. Sontag claims that interpretation is primarily a product of which culture?
A) Medieval
B) Ancient Greek
C) Renaissance
D) Modern
- 12. Sontag argues that the overemphasis on content does what to art?
A) Enriches it
B) Preserves it
C) Democratizes it
D) Impoverishes it
- 13. Sontag uses the work of which playwright as an example of art that resists interpretation?
A) Eugene O'Neill
B) Samuel Beckett
C) Arthur Miller
D) Tennessee Williams
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