The Rashomon Phenomenon pertains to how we dissect the information that is presented to us and interpret whether this information is truth (fact) or a lie (untruth) that was conveyed to us. Depending on how we rationalize the information given to us by numerous sources, and how we interpret the information in our own thought process, is what the Rashomon Phenomenon is all about.
I find myself drawn to both the Marxist and Ethical interpretations of the film as interpreted by Arthur Asa Berger, writer of the book we are reading. The Marxist interpretation explaining that Rashomon is a movie depicting the hierarchy of the classes is what I was drawn to from the beginning of the film. But as I read the Ethical interpretation of the film, I was also moved by the way each character in the film had a self serving depiction of the circumstances surrounding the death of the Samurai warrior. Even in the way the "dead man" told his story through a medium, his tail was self serving to "save face" with his factual account of what "really happened" even in death.
All of the interpretations were intriguing and made you think about how you yourself felt about the film. Each had significant validation of how the movie could be interpreted. Each of us must also consider that our own interpretation of the film will in some way be swayed by how our own life has evolved, or have we ever encountered any of the circumstances portrayed in the movie (which would give you a stronger sense of a particular story line within the film), plus you must also keep in mind your own belief system as you personally try to decide which character is telling the truth in their depiction about the death, or not.
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