Post-Structuralism: Deconstruction Some Key Concepts & Examples

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

Writing and Différance (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 traces

Writing and Différance (2) Writing as Différance and the endless play of signs. Différance: 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) (rose=love) Signified 3 (rose= woman in love)

Writing and Différance: an Example Signifier Signified 2 Signified 3 Asian People Yellow Exotic (Evil or Weak) Other Racial Features What they did Other Skin colors Innocence White White Americans The other Americans 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.

“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 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 What is presence? 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 (p. 131) 1. Open texts  A text that deconstructs its unity or author. 2. Reverse the text’s binaries or expose its undecidability or multiple meanings (131); Study the process of signification of a sign or a text and find out what it tries to erase. Find where the text differs from itself. (critical difference ambiguity and undecidability) Radical contextualization  to find out its intertextual references and thus undecidability of meanings.