Conflicting Perspective - Truth and Reality

1410 Words6 Pages
Conformity with fact or reality? The actual state of a matter? Or the accuracy as of a position or judgment? The definition of truth is complicated to define, as everyone in this room has a differing image of what basis truth holds – and how that reality is presented. One person’s truth is subjective, and is entirely dependent upon their perspective and perceptions of reality. The exhibition I have the pleasure of opening tonight is entitled “One person’s truth is subjective”, and includes textual material that focuses on the essence of truth and its inexplicable nature. Such texts include Ted Hughes’ anthology ‘Birthday Letters’; in particular ‘Fulbright Scholars’, ‘Sam’, and ‘The Shot’. Sylvia Plath’s poem ‘Daddy’ is also exhibited alongside the ‘Massachusetts’ photo taken of the couple. All of these texts express the complexity of truth through the differing representations of Hughes and Plath’s turbulent relationship. Hughes’ ‘Birthday Letters’ is a series of poems addressed to Plath that convey his subjective truth of the nature of their relationship and subsequent marriage. The anthology is written with hindsight and knowledge, and includes questioning; as Hughes is unsure of his memories. ‘Fulbright Scholars’ in particular portrays a tone of uncertainty through the use of rhetorical questions, authorial answers, and the repetition of ‘or’. ‘Where was it, in the Strand?’, ‘Or arrived. Or some of them.’ Hughes is displaying the slanted representation of their relationship, and by suggesting that memory may be unreliable – he is protecting himself from critical review, but also undermining his version of the truth and proving it to be a relatively unreliable source. The subjective truth of Hughes can also be seen in what he chose to include and omit from ‘Fulbright Scholars’. The author thought it necessary to place judgment on

More about Conflicting Perspective - Truth and Reality

Open Document