Paper :- 204 : Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies Sem 3

1. Maharaja krishnkumarsinhji Bhavnagar university
Department of English
Deconstruction :
A literary theory
Presented by :
Chandani Pandya
pandyachandani11@gmail.com
Sem :- 3 (Batch – 2022/22)
Roll no. :- 05
Paper :- 204 : Contemporary Western Theories and Film Studies

2.  Jacques Derrida
 French Theorist, philosopher and writer
 His areas of study include philosophy, literary criticism
and literary theory
 Studied Philosophy at a very prestigious school in Paris,
Ecole Normale Superieure
 He received a great deal of popularity for his theories
and writing style, and equally as much criticism for
them
 In 1967, he introduced the theory of Deconstruction

3.  Origins of Deconstruction
Derrida’s main influence for the development of this
theory was from the theorist, Martin Heidegger
In his work called Being and Time, Heidegger talks about
“de-structuring” of previous ontological concepts such as
time, history, matter, etc.. In order to better understand
them.
Derrida’s theory is similar to Heidegger’s in that he, too
wanted to rethink many of the terms commonly used in
philosophical consideration, but Derrida took further
steps in creating a workable theory.

4. What is Deconstruction ?
 Defining this term can be especially difficult and confusing.
 Derrida once said that it is a necessary confusion since it is
criticizing the very language needed to explain it. Here is a very
simplified explanation of the reasoning behind this theory that I
found helpful.
 “Deconstruction seems to center around the idea that language and
meaning are often inadequate in trying to convey the message or
idea a communicator in trying to express. Since the confusion stems
break the language are not the object then one should break down or
deconstruct the language to see if we can better understand where
the confusing stems.”

5. Three elements :-
1. Arbitrary :
 Meaning given to words are purely ‘Arbitrary’
 No Inherent connection between the word and it meaning.
2. Meanings are Relational
 Words and Context same
 What we are meaning are related
3. Language Construct our World
 Everything is constructed by words
 Words give us Worldview
 Example :-
 Sign = Signifier + Signified
Cow = Animal + Swit Food-Beef
 Food = Raw + Cooked

6.  Binary opposition
World have binary opposite like good/evil, mind/body, speech/writing.
Usually one side is valued higher than the other. This creates difficulties
that deconstruction aims to correct.
By deconstructing these binary opposition, we are able to uncover the
foundation.
Derrida argued that philosophical traditions were largely “marginalized”,
and with the application of deconstruction, it is possible to express what
has been repressed in these tradition.
Another Examples:-
- Day vs Night
- White vs Black
- Man vs Woman
- God vs Devil
- Meaning vs Meaninglessness

7.  How is it used in literary analysis ?
Used as a tool in narrative analysis
Start with a very careful reading that looks for
inconsistency and contradiction in the text
The results often uncovering of a deeply complex
foundation that is difficult to make sense of
This is one of the many criticism of Deconstruction, that
it nihilistic and unproductive because it leads to
uncertainly.

8.  Post-modernism
 19th and 20th century
 A period that encompasses more than
literature
 Theories emerged in art, architecture,
culture and more
 Characterized by resistance of
modernism, higher culture, and
enlightenment
 Challenges truths about world histories

9.  Post-structuralism
It is wonder why a theory like Deconstruction came out
of a period like this where many aspects of culture and
society were being rethought from different
perspectives.
At the same time another movement surfaced. It was
called Post-Structuralism which was a reaction to
Structuralism, a method of deriving meaning from
analyzing function of something within its cultural
constructs.
Instead, it looked at language as something that can
never explain reality because it is too unstable, and not
objective.

10. References :
 Deconstruction – Introduction. “Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet
Witalec Project Editor. Vol. 138, Gale Cengage, 2003.
 Johnson, T,S, “Deconstruction Theory”. Ezine Articles. URL =
http://EzineArticles.com/84192
 Lawlor, Leonard “Jacques Derrida.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2010)
Edward N, Zalta (ed,) URL = http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/derrida/#LifWor
 McNeill, W. H., Bentley, J.H. and Christian, D. Berkshire Encyclopedia of World
History. 4 (2005): 505-1507. Gale Cenage Learning.Web. 07 May 2011
 Schrift,A.D.”Deconstruction,”Encyclopedia of Pholisophy. Ed. Donald M.
Bochert. 2 (2006): 661-662. Gale Cenage Learning.Web. 07 May 2011