Allegory Quote by Susan Sontag
““This philistinism of interpretation is more rife in literature than in any other art. For decades now, literary critics have understood it to be their task to translate the elements of the poem or play or novel or story into something else. Sometimes a writer will be so uneasy before the naked power of his art that he will install within the work itself - albeit with a little shyness, a touch of the good taste of irony - the clear and explicit interpretation of it. Thomas Mann is an example of such an overcooperative author. In the case of more stubborn authors, the critic is only too happy to perform the job.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Imagination of Criticism,” 1975
Critics often impose their own interpretations, limiting a work’s inherent ambiguity and authorial intent.
In simple terms: Critics can over‑interpret, restricting a work’s meaning.
Key Takeaway
Allow art to speak for itself.
Themes
literature
criticism
interpretation
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- book clubs
- academic courses
- creative writing workshops
Key Concepts
authorial intent
reader response
Questions to Reflect On
- Should critics prioritize authorial intent or reader experience?
- When is interpretation helpful?
A Different Perspective
Some readers may prefer guided interpretation for deeper understanding.
![“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)
