Walter Benjamin, Author as Producer

How do we relate to an author’s writings? How can we prove or refute if what they write is true? As a reader, it is in our power to determine whether a literary work is tangible or not on the basis of it’s research and findings. It is important to question the attitude of a work, its relation to political and social concern, and the author’s position on their work.

The division of the proletariat and bourgeois class discussed by Benjamin thrives to produce literary work, or the newspaper, views from its dominant class, mainly the bourgeois. He states that an author should be writing for the people, the proletariat working class, and that a decisive voice should be recognized, whether it is proletariat or bourgeois. Author as producer is then defined as author as reader. The newspaper is then considered public property – a forum for expressive writing intending to promote a particular cause or perspective. The author should recognize themselves as the class in which they are writing about, they should have the same emotion, and desire to bring about social change, as their subject does, else it would not be a tangible work.

Benjamin describes the distinct differences between the operating writer and an informing writer, distinguished by not only what one writes, but actively participating in changing and bringing forth activist meaning, playing a dominant role in endorsing a defined argument, contrary to popular belief. It is of a person who strongly believes in their own ideals and feels the right to express them. Benjamin further describes that the author’s voice may not necessarily supersede the work’s voice, as one may be more effective in conveying its message more so than the other.

The discussion of reality vs. entertainment, or spectacle is interesting as Benjamin questions the motives behind photographs, does it portray an object of poverty, or does it transform the image of poverty into one of beauty? No matter what medium of art we are talking about here: be that as it may a painting, photography, literary writing, music, or dance – they all contain a message and an opinion, the subject matter with which it engages it’s audience – should be put to use by influencing others to take up their activist role. Persuade others to reflect and change and also to respond by expressing their views in any art medium.

“It is true that opinions matter greatly, but the best are of no use if they make nothing useful out of those who have them. The best political tendency is wrong if it does not demonstrate the attitude with which it is to be followed.” – Walter Benjamin



Dorothea Lange, known for her photojournalist approach to documenting the tragic consequences of the Great Depression in America was considered an honest report. Her infamous portrait Migrant Mother in Nipomo, California, 1936 raised concern as to how genuine the didactic meaning the photograph was to portray. Consequently, the photograph was published in the newspaper but the mother in the photograph did not receive any recognition or financial aid. Then, there is a marked difference between art as spectacle or policy of truth.

– Stephen