Criticism Quote by Susan Sontag
““The function of criticism should be to show how it is what it is, even that it is what it is, rather than to show what it means.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: On Photography, 1977
Criticism must reveal a work's inherent nature rather than impose external interpretations.
In simple terms: Show what something is, not what it should mean.
Key Takeaway
Focus on describing, not prescribing.
Themes
art
criticism
interpretation
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- art reviews
- literary analysis
- museum curation
Key Concepts
aesthetic analysis
objectivity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure criticism remains descriptive?
- What risks arise when critics impose meaning?
A Different Perspective
Criticism can be limited by the critic’s own biases.
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
