Josette Wolthuis 1514623
What role (if any) should the concept of intention play in our interpretations
of artworks? Explain why and demonstrate how with detailed reference to
ONE OR TWO module films.
The concept of intention is clearly defined by Wimsatt and Beardsley who
write “intention is a design or plan in the author’s mind.” 1 Interpretation, however,
can be defined in many different ways. Bordwell states that “to interpret a film is to
ascribe implicit or symptomatic meanings to it,” 2 whereas Davies presents it as
much more complex, writing that:
The practice of interpreting fictional literature is very varied. Some
commentators interpret the work as a symptom of its author’s psychology
and values […] Some playfully depart from or deconstruct the work. […]
Some regard authors as dead and the interpreter as free to complete the
work as she chooses through the readings she offers. […] Some aim to
appreciate the author’s work for its own sake, as a work of art. 3
Even by Davies’ thoughts alone, one can see that the concept of interpretation could
be either be very invested in or completely departed from the intentions of an
author. This essay will suggest that intention can play a big part in an interpretation;
but conditionally. It may depend on the type of interpretation (e.g. whether it is an
aesthetic/artistic judgement or a personal liking or disliking); the genre and/or type
of film; as well as the success of the author’s intention. To explore these ideas, this
essay will evaluate Nora Ephron’s 1993 romance drama, Sleepless in Seattle
alongside Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 film The Room (also originally claimed as a
romance drama, but is actually more complicated in terms of genre.)
Firstly, this essay will examine different types of interpretation and how
they may interact with intention, as well as how they might play into both Sleepless
and The Room. It will be useful, first, to assess theories of objectivity and
subjectivity. Kant writes that when judging a piece of work “he judges them not
merely for himself, but for all men, and then speaks of beauty as if it were the
property of things […] he says the thing is beautiful and it is not as if he counted on
others agreeing in his judgement of liking.” 4 Kant’s view of objectivity is that one
1
Gary Iseminger, Intention and Interpretation (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992), p.
135.
2
David Bordwell, Making Meaning (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2008), p. 249.
3
S. Davies, "Authors' Intentions, Literary Interpretation, And Literary Value", The British Journal
of Aesthetics, 46.3 (2006), 223 <https://doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/ayl001>. p. 223
4
Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Judgement (Lanham: Dancing Unicorn Books, 2017), p. 39.
1
, Josette Wolthuis 1514623
meaning must translate to every reader and if they do not agree then “he blames
them […] and denies them taste.”5 Consequently, suggesting that something wrong
with the reader, and that the author’s intended meaning is all that matters. This
concept, although valuable in theory, seems unlikely to assist a full interpretation of
a text. The concept of subjectivity seems much more compatible with interpreting
film. Ward opposes Kant’s views by saying that “if one individual judges that an
object is beautiful and another judges that it is not, they could never be contracting
each other.”6 Therefore, there is not one overriding interpretation, but it is open to
each individual. This concept diminishes the value of an author’s intentions as
although some may interpret the piece in a way that the author approves of, some
certainly may not.
Subjectivity can also be linked to taste. It is suggested that there are three
main distinctives of taste, “(1) An ability to distinguish higher from lower quality;
i.e.: 'good taste' […] (2) A purely personal liking or disliking; i.e.: 'it’s not to my taste'
[…] (3) A socially-determined phenomenon; i.e.: 'taste cultures.’” 7 This opens
interpretation as not just something that is solely determined by a person’s opinion
but can be influenced by social position, and an awareness of what is considered of
value in their society. It is clear that if we take the theories of subjectivism as more
relevant than objectivism, which this essay intends to do, a text cannot hold one
overriding meaning, it will be perceived differently by each person (although
sometimes largely influenced by their social surroundings.)
Ideas of taste are particularly relevant to Sleepless in Seattle in the fact that, in
whatever way one chooses to interpret the film, ultimately it is a film of the romantic
genre – a genre which holds connotations of femininity and a reduced value within
many social settings. Korsmeyer states that “people are praised if they display good
taste in their choice of art […] popular art and public art is sometimes actually
suppressed if it appears to violate norms of taste.” 8 Therefore, it must be questioned
whether people will remain completely subjective in their interpretation or if they
will become influenced by the expectations of their social surroundings. If one lets
themselves become swayed by the dominant view that romance films are set so
deep in their generic conventions that there’s no need to look deeper, a viewer may
5
Ibid
6
Ward, Andrew, ‘Aesthetic Judgement’, A Companion to Aesthetics (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell,
2009), p. 117
7
James MacDowell, "Interpreting the Popular Arts", 2018.
8
Korsmeyer, Carolyn, ‘Taste’, The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics (London: Routledge:
2013), p. 193
2
What role (if any) should the concept of intention play in our interpretations
of artworks? Explain why and demonstrate how with detailed reference to
ONE OR TWO module films.
The concept of intention is clearly defined by Wimsatt and Beardsley who
write “intention is a design or plan in the author’s mind.” 1 Interpretation, however,
can be defined in many different ways. Bordwell states that “to interpret a film is to
ascribe implicit or symptomatic meanings to it,” 2 whereas Davies presents it as
much more complex, writing that:
The practice of interpreting fictional literature is very varied. Some
commentators interpret the work as a symptom of its author’s psychology
and values […] Some playfully depart from or deconstruct the work. […]
Some regard authors as dead and the interpreter as free to complete the
work as she chooses through the readings she offers. […] Some aim to
appreciate the author’s work for its own sake, as a work of art. 3
Even by Davies’ thoughts alone, one can see that the concept of interpretation could
be either be very invested in or completely departed from the intentions of an
author. This essay will suggest that intention can play a big part in an interpretation;
but conditionally. It may depend on the type of interpretation (e.g. whether it is an
aesthetic/artistic judgement or a personal liking or disliking); the genre and/or type
of film; as well as the success of the author’s intention. To explore these ideas, this
essay will evaluate Nora Ephron’s 1993 romance drama, Sleepless in Seattle
alongside Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 film The Room (also originally claimed as a
romance drama, but is actually more complicated in terms of genre.)
Firstly, this essay will examine different types of interpretation and how
they may interact with intention, as well as how they might play into both Sleepless
and The Room. It will be useful, first, to assess theories of objectivity and
subjectivity. Kant writes that when judging a piece of work “he judges them not
merely for himself, but for all men, and then speaks of beauty as if it were the
property of things […] he says the thing is beautiful and it is not as if he counted on
others agreeing in his judgement of liking.” 4 Kant’s view of objectivity is that one
1
Gary Iseminger, Intention and Interpretation (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992), p.
135.
2
David Bordwell, Making Meaning (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2008), p. 249.
3
S. Davies, "Authors' Intentions, Literary Interpretation, And Literary Value", The British Journal
of Aesthetics, 46.3 (2006), 223 <https://doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/ayl001>. p. 223
4
Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Judgement (Lanham: Dancing Unicorn Books, 2017), p. 39.
1
, Josette Wolthuis 1514623
meaning must translate to every reader and if they do not agree then “he blames
them […] and denies them taste.”5 Consequently, suggesting that something wrong
with the reader, and that the author’s intended meaning is all that matters. This
concept, although valuable in theory, seems unlikely to assist a full interpretation of
a text. The concept of subjectivity seems much more compatible with interpreting
film. Ward opposes Kant’s views by saying that “if one individual judges that an
object is beautiful and another judges that it is not, they could never be contracting
each other.”6 Therefore, there is not one overriding interpretation, but it is open to
each individual. This concept diminishes the value of an author’s intentions as
although some may interpret the piece in a way that the author approves of, some
certainly may not.
Subjectivity can also be linked to taste. It is suggested that there are three
main distinctives of taste, “(1) An ability to distinguish higher from lower quality;
i.e.: 'good taste' […] (2) A purely personal liking or disliking; i.e.: 'it’s not to my taste'
[…] (3) A socially-determined phenomenon; i.e.: 'taste cultures.’” 7 This opens
interpretation as not just something that is solely determined by a person’s opinion
but can be influenced by social position, and an awareness of what is considered of
value in their society. It is clear that if we take the theories of subjectivism as more
relevant than objectivism, which this essay intends to do, a text cannot hold one
overriding meaning, it will be perceived differently by each person (although
sometimes largely influenced by their social surroundings.)
Ideas of taste are particularly relevant to Sleepless in Seattle in the fact that, in
whatever way one chooses to interpret the film, ultimately it is a film of the romantic
genre – a genre which holds connotations of femininity and a reduced value within
many social settings. Korsmeyer states that “people are praised if they display good
taste in their choice of art […] popular art and public art is sometimes actually
suppressed if it appears to violate norms of taste.” 8 Therefore, it must be questioned
whether people will remain completely subjective in their interpretation or if they
will become influenced by the expectations of their social surroundings. If one lets
themselves become swayed by the dominant view that romance films are set so
deep in their generic conventions that there’s no need to look deeper, a viewer may
5
Ibid
6
Ward, Andrew, ‘Aesthetic Judgement’, A Companion to Aesthetics (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell,
2009), p. 117
7
James MacDowell, "Interpreting the Popular Arts", 2018.
8
Korsmeyer, Carolyn, ‘Taste’, The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics (London: Routledge:
2013), p. 193
2
