Post-Structuralism: Deconstruction Some Key Concepts & Examples

Outline Difference vs. difference;Difference vs. difference Differ and defer Re-contextualization Spacing and Traces Against Transcendental SignifiedTranscendental Signified “Method” of Deconstruction: an exampleMethod

Writing and Différance (1) 1. Writing as a system of difference, vs. Writing as Différance. * While structualists had treated binary oppositions as stable terms in a formal structure, Derrida sees them as organized in unstable disequilibrium.  because of the presence/absence of tracestraces

Writing and Différance (2) 1. Writing as Différance and the endless play of signs. Différance: 1.To differ; A sign is defined by its binary opposition to another sign. 2. To defer. The signifier (black) that is distinguished from the other one (white) is not completely erased; it is only deferred, bracketed. Black. It can subvert the fixed meaning of the sign.

Writing and Différance The chain of signification: Signifier 1 (rose) Signified 1 (flower) Signified 2 (love) Signified 2 (rose=love) Signified 3 (rose= woman in love)

The other Americans Other Skin colors Other Racial Features What they did Writing and Différance: an Example 1. Signifier Signified 2 Signified 3 Asian PeopleYellow Exotic (Evil or Weak) White Americans White Innocence White Man’s Burden Manifest Destiny God

Writing and Différance (3) Two chains of signification  Re- contextualization; traces kept. e.g. 1. Pharmakon: 1). poison, 2). Pharmacy 2. Creole: 1). Native, local, ” pure ” ; 2). Native-born whites; 3). Hybrid  hence the ensuing discrimination against creole.

〈幌馬車之歌〉 《悲情城市》中與文清同牢房的難友 在前往刑場之前所唱； 《好男好女》 ︰ 1937 蔣碧玉認識鍾浩東 ﹐ 1940 赴大陸．－ 1949 被捕﹐－ 1950 年十 月十四日鍾浩東就義之前所唱。 歌詞︰「黃昏的時候, 在樹葉散落的馬路 上, 目送你的馬車, 在馬路上幌來幌去地消 失在遙遠的彼方。在充滿回憶的小山上, 遙望故國的天空, 憶起在夢中消逝的一年 。」

〈幌馬車之歌〉 日影評人田村小姐感到「愕然」與「好奇 」的是﹐「這種已驅喚前往侵略地滿州及築 構日本人之夢的〈幌馬車之歌〉竟會在台 灣二二八事件被捕﹑被槍殺的知識青年口中 唱出來。」 蔣碧玉解釋︰「他曾經告訴我說︰『每次 唱起這首歌﹐就會忍不住想起南部家鄉美麗 的田園景色！』」 （藍博洲《幌馬車之歌》 pp. 122; 126 ）

“Spacing”-- Movement from one Signifier to another -- spacing: Meaning changed when the context is further revealed. --The traces of the old meanings are both present and absent.

Questions 1.What is Transcendental Signified? Transcendental Signified: source of meaning and center of existence. e.g. being, unity, truth, the good, reason, progress, identity, continuity, meaning, subjectivity, authenticity, etc.

Questions & Answers 2.What is presence? 3.What the first step of deconstruction? 2. Presence: Opposite to absence; presence of god, of meaning, essence, etc.; implies fixed and domineering presence. 3. One way of deconstruction: Reverse the “hierarchical” binary of presence/absence, speech/writing, and allow the latter to supplement the formers.

Critique of Metaphysics: logocentrism, phonocentrism, phallogocentrism Traditional binaries are hierarchical. Should be reversed. Logocentrism: Logo as center, source, or founding presence of knowledge and human beings. Phonocentrism: In the speech/writing binary, speech is supposed to signal presence of the speaker. Phallogocentrism: Man/Woman= sun/moon, reason/emotion, Subject/Object, etc.

Deconstruction: practices 1.(p. 131) 1. Open texts  A text that deconstructs its unity or author Reverse the text’s binaries or expose its undecidability or multiple meanings (131); 3.Study the process of signification of a sign or a text and find out what it tries to erase. 4.Find where the text differs from itself. (critical difference  ambiguity and undecidability) 5.Radical contextualization  to find out its intertextual references and thus undecidability of meanings.