Susan sontag Against Interpretation

A detailed Summary of Susan sontag Against Interpretation


Susan Sontag, in “Against Interpretation,” takes a very interesting critical standpoint on the idea of literary interpretation. Unlike most literary critics, Sontag believes that literary criticism is growing increasingly destructive towards the very works of art that they, supposedly, so greatly “appreciate” and “respect.” Her standpoint could not be more accurate. Reading her work generates numerous questions, the most important of which is quite possibly, “How are we to take her final statement, ‘In place of a hermeneutics we need an erotics of art.’” In the light of her previous statements, made throughout the work, one could only see this particular statement as an attempt to reach through the fog that blinds the majority o


Throughout this work, Sontag makes many statements that invite interpretation. Critics may analyze her repeated references to Greek literature or possibly her use of sexual imagery, but none could ignore the simplicity, brevity, and word choice that characterize the concluding sentence. The brevity of the final section is what catches the critical eye and the lurid choice of words is what pulls the critic in.

It is practically necessary to meet someone on their terms first if you hope to convert them to yours. Sontag has done this because she has little other choice. She has so effectively made her point, with the proper amount of respect, that her target, the modern critic, is in no position to resent Sontag’s statements without first acknowledging their veracity.

The first quest

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 538
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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