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This blog is part of Flipped learning Activity. Based on the videos, I'll be addressing the questions in this blog.
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1.1 Why is it difficult to define Deconstruction?
Defining Deconstruction is difficult because it is not a single method or theory but a way of questioning and analyzing texts, revealing inherent contradictions and assumptions.
1.2 Is Deconstruction a negative term?
No, it is not negative term because is it not destructive activity but an inquiry into the foundations.
1.3 How does Deconstruction happen on its own?
Deconstruction happens on its own as readers and interpreters engage with texts, naturally revealing ambiguities and contradictions without a deliberate effort to deconstruct.
Video 2
2.1 The influence of Heidegger on Derrida
Heidegger influenced Derrida by questioning the fundamental concepts of Western philosophy and emphasizing the importance of language in shaping our understanding of reality
2.2. • Derridean rethinking of the foundations of Western philosophy
Derrida rethought Western philosophy by challenging its foundational concepts, revealing how language and texts are full of contradictions and ambiguities, thus undermining the idea of absolute truth or fixed meanings.
Video 3
3.1 Ferdinand de Saussureian concept of language (that meaning is arbitrary, relational, constitutive)
Saussure argued that the meaning of words is arbitrary (no inherent connection between words and their meanings), relational (words gain meaning through their differences from other words), and constitutive (language structures our perception of reality).
3.2 How Derrida deconstructs the idea of arbitrariness?
Derrida deconstructs Saussure's idea of arbitrariness by showing that meanings are never fully fixed or stable. Instead, they are always deferred through endless chains of signifiers, a concept he calls "différance." This challenges the idea that language can ever have a truly arbitrary foundation.
3.3 Concept of metaphysics of presence
The metaphysics of presence refers to the philosophical tradition that prioritizes direct, immediate access to meaning and truth, often associated with presence and being. Derrida critiques this notion, arguing that meaning is always mediated by language and thus never fully present or fixed.
Video 4
4.1 Derridean Concept of Différance
Derrida's term différance combines the ideas of "to differ" (indicating the differences between signs) and "to defer" (meaning that the complete understanding of a sign is always postponed).
Différance, in simple terms, is Derrida's idea that:
"To differ": Words gain meaning by how they are different from other words.
"To defer": The complete understanding of a word or concept is always delayed or postponed.
4.2 Infinite Play of Meaning
This refers to the endless shifting and evolving of meanings within language, where interpretations are never fixed but constantly changing.
4.3 Différance = to Differ + to Defer
Différance combines the ideas of differences between words and the ongoing postponement of final meanings, illustrating how understanding is always in flux and never fully settled.
Video 5
5.1 Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences
Derrida's 1966 essay critiqued Claude Lévi-Strauss' structural anthropology, challenging the idea that language and culture have stable, fixed meanings. This critique launched post-structuralism, emphasizing the fluidity and multiple interpretations of language and culture.
5.2 Explain: "Language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique."
Derrida argues that language lacks a fixed, ultimate meaning, making it impossible to definitively grasp. Criticizing traditional views often relies on the same assumptions as those traditions, which means criticism can't escape tradition itself. This leads to a situation where when we critique something, we end up resembling it in some ways.
Video 6
6.1 The Yale School: the hub of the practitioners of Deconstruction in the literary theories
The essay by Jacques Derrida in 1966 critiqued Claude Lévi-Strauss' "Structural Anthropology," challenging the stability of language and culture assumed by structuralism. This critique marked the beginning of post-structuralism, emphasizing fluid interpretations and questioning fixed meanings.
6.2 The characteristics of the Yale School of Deconstruction
They explore many different meanings in literature, question how history and beauty influence how we read it.
Video 7
7.1 How other schools like New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism and Postcolonial theorists used Deconstruction?
Deconstruction is used by schools like New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism, and Postcolonialism to analyze literature through different lenses. New Historicism examines how historical contexts influence texts and power dynamics. Cultural Materialism studies how economic conditions shape literature and societal structures. Feminism uncovers gender biases in texts, while Marxism critiques class divisions and capitalist ideas. Postcolonialism examines how texts represent colonized cultures and histories. Each school uses deconstruction to uncover hidden meanings and challenge dominant interpretations in literature.
Word Count: 761
Images: 1
Videos: 7
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