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History of Ideas 8: Susan Sontag

Past Present Future

CHAPTER

Against Interpretation: Susan Sontag's Critique

This chapter discusses Susan Sontag's critique of the interpretation industry, which prioritizes finding hidden meanings in art at the expense of appreciating the work itself. Sontag argues that this complicity between artists and interpreters has created an industry that rewards artists for providing something to interpret. The chapter explores the influence of Thomas Mann on Sontag's life and writing, as well as her disappointment in meeting the author she idolized.

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