“Interpretation thus presupposes a discrepancy between the clear meaning of the text and the demands of (later) readers. It seeks to resolve that discrepancy. The situation is that for some reason a text has become unacceptable; yet it cannot be discarded. Interpretation is a radical strategy for conserving an old text, which is thought too precious to repudiate, by revamping it. The interpreter, without actually erasing or rewriting the text, is altering it. But he can’t admit to doing this. He claims to be only making it intelligible, by disclosing its true meaning.”

—  Susan Sontag

Source: Against Interpretation and Other Essays (1966), p. 6

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Susan Sontag photo
Susan Sontag 168
American writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist 1933–2004

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