Interpretation in ‘Monuments’ by Robert Musil and ‘Plato’s Cave’ by Susan Sontag
Today, different people have a different perception or understanding of a similar thing differently. Viewing the same thing is perceived differently by different people. Today, different explanations emerge out of a similar situation. Ideas concerning a particular art have been interpreted differently. This has resulted in innovations and understanding not only among architecture and monuments but also in different upcoming changes in the world. Interpretation today is based on a person’s thinking independently (Pavlova, 95). It is vital to be an independent thinker and come up with new ideas that are helpful or result in new beginnings in the world. In Monuments by Robert Musil, monuments are seen to be invisible, but through keen observation, one can be able to see things differently and interpret them on how they understand. Monuments are not just monuments but have a deeper meaning beyond them that can be interpreted differently. In ‘Plato’s Cave’ by Susan Sontag, she explains photography in comparison with Plato’s Cave. From the explanation, photography can be manipulated in different ways. Photography is an interpretation depending on different views, ideas resulting in a different understanding. From the essay ‘Plato’s Cave’ by Susan Sontag and ‘Monuments’ by Robert Musil, there is a common theme of interpretation that is seen to have an impact on different individuals who view and idealize art differently in the readings and the world today.
Robert explains interpretation in many ways when it comes to monuments. There are always statutes in a particular area that one may not be interested at first sight but later come to notice it. As for monuments or statues, they show no sign as they are stagnant and looking but no communication. It is all about how the person thinks or tends to interpret their presence at the moment. Some monuments perceive signs which should automatically be understood by an individual or have a meaning or message to the world. Despite the ignorance of people in the streets interested in knowing about monuments, the writer expresses them in different interpretations with different meanings depending on their appearance. In the reading, Musil describes monuments to be fixed and having a lot of social glances as they do not communicate. Having the glimpses enhances human thinking and is compared to different things that have happened in the past and the world (Musil, 63). This results in different interpretations when it comes to different people and comparisons. Analysis, according to Susan in Plato’s Cave, has been on photography when she tries to compare photography with the Plato’s Cave. She explains photography as a tool of power that has been adopted as an art. Different people are coming up with a different interpretation of their photographic work, and it can be seen today. Photos are an expression depending on what one understands and wants to put out there (Sontag, 555). There will also be a different interpretation from different individuals. Both the two ways of understanding are based on one’s independent mind and have brought changes to the world today. Freedom of interpretation has opened a forum for multiple innovations and new ideas that have been implemented to date.
From the two interpretations and approaches of interpretation, in Roberts’s reading, there is ignorance from people on monuments. This slows down their way of thinking and analysis. Robert tends to describe monuments as still and is faced with many glances. This can slow the interpretation and understanding of the statues. It is crucial to have self-reflection of the monuments hence coming up with different interpretations. The writer interprets the monuments and their importance and compares them to human beings who don’t engage in thinking (Musil, 64). In Plato’s Cave, her interpretation of photography is in line with what the world is today. Photos are taken mainly for different purposes like memory, capturing the truth, and influence the future (Sontag, 558). It is also evidence of what occurs or happens. So many people use photographs to interpret different situations. From the two authors, interpretation can be both accepted positively or negatively. Monuments can be used to show human beings’ behavior when it comes to active thinking through their practice. Or it can still be seen as art used for different purposes. Susan, in her readings, expresses and interprets Platos Curve concerning photography. She explains how photography has had a massive impact in today’s world, and so many people have impressed it differently.
The interpretation has had an impact on the innovations of the world through observation and thinking. From the two readings, it is evident that interpretation can take different paces, but, in the end, can lead or result in something new. Both the authors have different definitions, which we can see have different results in the world today. Interpretation is conventional in both readings seen to bring different ideas around the globe. It involves thinking, and that is the only way ideas and innovations are created today from a previous source. Santos argues on how photography has impacted differently today, depending on how people have taken it up and interpreted it. Also, Roberts uses monuments to express human behavior when it comes to thinking.
Works Cited
Musil, Robert. “Monuments.” Posthumous papers of a living author (1987): 61-64.
Pavlova, T., S. Igonina, and A. Zhelyabina. “Critical Thinking Skills in Information-Oriented Society.” International Scientific Conference” Far East Con“(ISCFEC 2018). Atlantis Press, 2019.
Sontag, Susan. “In Plato’s cave.” On photography 3 (1977).