1. Kristin Lowe
Senior Seminar
Period 6
Rashomon Essay
To what extent do you agree with the views of either Errol Morris or Roger Ebert
with regard to the film Rashomon?
In 1950, Akiro Kurosawa directed the film, Rashomon, to analyze the topic of
perception, which is the process of understanding our environment by the
interpretation and organization of the five senses. This film is a Japanese murder
mystery story that revolves around the death of a samurai and the rape of his wife, and
includes four characters, the samurai, the wife, the bandit, and the woodcutter. Every
character reveals their individual yet contradicting stories to the judge, the audience,
which they have retrieved through their different perceptions of the crime that was
committed. The connection of perception to this film forces arguments involving the
difference between truth and reality to surface. The two critics Errol Morris and
Roger Ebert each view the topic of perception differently. Morris argues that truth is
objective, making reality objective for all. On the other hand, Ebert concludes that
truth and reality are subjective and therefore relative to each individual.Although
Morris believes there is an absolute truth to the crime committed in Rashomon, there
are multiple individual interpretations of the situation, making Ebert’s position of
subjectivity of truth and reality the best fit for this film.
Errol Morris argues that no matter how individuals interpret something, there is
but one absolute truth and reality is objective for all meaning that only one truth can
exist. He states that he does “not believe that truth is subjective”, because “just
thinking something does not make it so” (Interview with Errol Morris). Morris agrees
with Plato’s theory, which also states that although many different accounts or stories

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in which people may perceive things differently, there is one absolute truth that exists.
Again, Morris continues to disapprove that reality may be subjective by stating that
the, “idea that there is no reality, that truth is up for grabs, or that truth is subjective, I
find foolish and unappetizing” (Interview with Errol Morris). Therefore in Rashomon,
there is an ultimate reality of the world even though how people individually perceive
things differs.For example, the audience is primarily lead to believe that the
woodcutter’s version of the crime is true because it is told from a third-person point of
view without any involvement. Later it is revealed that the woodcutter lied because he
did not want to be blamed for stealing the dagger, revealing that there is no one
criminal. In Rashomon, the viewer can see that there is not meant to be a conclusion
of who the murderer is, but instead to recognize that there are four separate
perceptions of the case. Yet, Morris still claims “there is such a thing as truth, but we
have a vested interest in not seeing it” (Interview with Errol Morris). In Morris’ case
he believes there is only one absolute truth, which brings about the argument that the
characters were then using the selective perception. This refers to being able to
perceive things in such a way thattendsspecifically to that individuals needs rather
than observing actual reality. Therefore, if the characters have individual, subjective
opinions on truth and reality, Ebert’s take on the subjectivity of perception is more
dominant in the filmRashomon.
On the opposite end of the spectrum of Errol Morris, Roger Ebert believes there
are multiple truths and that reality is not objective but relative. Due to the fact that
every individual perceives a situation one way based on their realm of consciousness,
all events beyond an individual’s perceiving conscious is not truth, as it does not
exist. In this film, there were multiple eye-witness accounts of the same crime, yet
every story differed, illustrating subjectivity. For example, Ebert states, “all of the

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flashbacks are both true and false” (Ebert: Rashomon Review). This illustrates that
multiple truths can exist simultaneously where two individuals contain different truths
because their perceptions differ. Therefore, the four individual flashbacks can be
considered true because each character believes what he perceives to be reality. When
the film director, Kurosawa, comments, “ They [Humans] cannot talk about
themselves without embellishing”, the four flashbacks can be considered false due to
the fact that it is each individual character’s modified version causing confirmation
bias (Ebert: Rashomon Review). Also, the individuals, who, in fact, confessed
theyhad murdered the samurai, had no specific motive to lie. “It is unlike any of the
original participants are lying for their own advantage” (Ebert: Rashomon
Review).Ebert acknowledges that each of the“eyewitness accounts differ radically”
(Ebert: Rashomon Review). This revealsthat not only does Ebert’s support for the
idea of subjective reality in the film contradict Morris’ Platonic theory of absolute
truth, but it also illustrates the fact that relativism is better applied in Rashomon.
Due to the fact that Kurosawa’s film Rashomon revolves around four different
characters perceptions, Ebert’s subjectivity is better applied because of his beliefs of
relative reality and multiple truths.Kurosawa makes it clear that the stance of a
subjective of reality is apparent because each character claims they murdered the
samurai, thus making it impossible for the audience to conclude who committed the
crime.The subjectivity of truth and reality are prominent in Rashomon by the fact that
each character believes his own selective form of truth and reality of the crime. Ergo,
Ebert’s argument on how individuals perceive truth and reality in a subjective and
relative form best fits the differing perceptions of the crime in the film.
Robert Ebert’s ideas of subjective reality and truth applies better that Errol
Morris’ Platonic theory of absolute truth and reality, seeing as there are multiple yet

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contradicting accounts of the same incident.Although from the film, the audience
cannot seem to be able to solve the mystery of who truly committed the murder of the
samurai, each individual shares their honest perception of the events of the murder
and the events preceding the murder.Therefore, Akira Kurosawa’s 1950 film,
Rashomon, the multiple accounts of truth and perception are best applied by Roger
Ebert’s belief of a subjective reality and a relative truth.

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Works Cited:
“Interview with Errol Morris”
http://www.believermag.com/issues/200404/?read=interview_morris
“Ebert: Rashomon Review”
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020526/REVIE
WS08/205260301/1023