Interpretation Quotes

“There is no such thing as an innocent reading, we must say what reading we are guilty of.”

“Spinoza’s Ethics is a masterpiece of philosophical architecture, but one whose blueprints are notoriously difficult to read.”

“The sources do not speak for themselves.”

“The subject is not the important thing; it is the interpretation of the subject that is the important thing.”

“Things are there, why should I explain them?”

“A score is not a bible, it's a love letter.”

“I believe that the best way to understand a philosopher is to try to get inside his skin and see the world through his eyes.”

“The ambiguity is the point. It invites interpretation.”

“The problem of meaning is that it is a slippery object, which escapes determined capture.”

“I have no ideas about what the paintings imply about the world.”

“I do not document, I interpret.”

“The possibility of reading can never be taken for granted.”

“The worst thing that can happen to a writer is to be understood.”

“History is not a catalogue but a convincing version of events.”

“People will always be wondering about 'The Lord of the Rings,' and whether it's a good thing, a bad thing, a moral thing, an amoral thing. You can play with it. You can have fun with it.”

“The answers you get from literature depend on the questions you pose.”

“To begin with, you must have the composer's text, which you must play with the greatest possible fidelity.”

“The interpretation of a piece of music is a very personal thing.”

“My work is not about sexuality but about vulnerability.”

“The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.”