BoredCaitlin, 11/6

When reading Jameson on Thursday, I thought a lot about the differences between Van Gogh’s “Peasant Shoes” and Warhol’s “Diamond Dust Shoes.” Jameson describes his reading of “Peasant Shoes” as “hermeneutical.” (Jameson 410) The piece gives the viewer “a clue or a symptom for some vaster reality which replaces it as its ultimate truth.” It allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions about the shoe’s origin, it’s story, so to speak. One could connect this back to Barthes and Macherey, because what’s most important here is what the work doesn’t say, and that “the work of art emerges within the gap between Earth and World.” In contrast, “Diamond Dust Shoes” leaves little room for interpretation. “Diamond Dust Shoes” has a specific purpose for existing, and what the viewer sees is essentially what they get. One can find similar differences in Disney theme park attractions. For example, let’s look at the Haunted Mansion.

While most of Disney’s newer attractions have a definite story, the Haunted Mansion focuses more on giving its viewers a memorable experience. It doesn’t have much of a story at first glance. It’s essentially some scenes of ghosts doing what ghosts do. However, the attraction’s appeal comes from allowing the viewers to fill in the blanks on their own. Why is this strange house haunted? Why is this room stretching? Why is a ghost following me home? The attraction doesn’t explicitly answer these questions, but allows the visitors to answer themselves.

         In comparison to the Haunted Mansion, newer Disney attractions leave little to the imagination. By telling a definite story, they leave little for the viewer to interpret. Dinosaur’s premise is clear from the moment the visitor enters the building. In fact, the attraction’s preshow states directly to the viewers what they will be doing and why. It’s a different approach, but it’s not quite as appealing or invigorating as something like the Haunted Mansion.