Derrida & Deconstruction

Hello Everyone,

This blog is about the Literary Theory and Criticism of Deconstruction.

Jacques Derrida was a French thinker who created the idea of Deconstruction, a way of reading and understanding texts. He believed that language is not clear or fixed, and that words often have hidden meanings and contradictions. His famous idea called "différance" means that meaning comes from the difference between words and is always changing or delayed. Deconstruction shows that texts often say more than the writer meant, and sometimes even undo their own message. Derrida’s ideas changed how people study literature, philosophy, law, and art.

Here are some of the videos regarding Derrida & Deconstruction by Dr.dilip.Barad, Head of the Department of English,M.K.B.U. for further reading Click Here 

1. Defining Deconstruction

1.Why is it difficult to define Deconstruction?

Deconstruction is difficult to define because it questions the very idea of fixed meanings and definitions. It shows that language is full of contradictions, so any attempt to clearly define something, Derrida is point out that meaning of word is nothing but another word. that's why is difficult to define.

2. Is Deconstruction a negative term?

Deconstruction is not a negative term. It doesn’t mean breaking or ruining something. It simply means looking deeper into a text to find hidden meanings and contradictions.

3. How does Deconstruction happen on its own?

language is naturally full of contradictions and double meanings. Even when a writer tries to be clear, the words can unintentionally say more or something different this how deconstruction happens on its own.

2. Heidegger and Derrida

1.The influence of Heidegger on Derrida.

1) Question of being: Derrida pickup and shows that even the concept of “being” is shaped by unstable language.

2)Critique of metaphysics: Heidegger criticized the Western philosophical tradition for prioritizing presence. Derrida extended this, arguing that meaning is never fully present, because language always refers to something else.

3)Idea of Language and it's meaning.

2. Derridean rethinking of the foundations of Western philosophy.

Western Philosophy is built on the differences binary opposition. He argued that meaning is always changing and built on opposites that can be questioned or reversed. This is the heart of his idea called Deconstruction.

3. Saussure and Derrida

1.Ferdinand de Saussureian concept of language (that meaning is arbitrary, relational, constitutive).

According to Saussureian meaning is always postponed to ultimate meaning. one word leads to another word and that word leads to yet another and finally we never come out of the dictionary because of illusion that we have understood.

2.How Derrida deconstructs the idea of arbitrariness?

Derrida is drawing attention towards difference between speech and writing. Difference is not idea or a concept but a force which makes differentiation possible which postponing possible.

3.Concept of metaphysics of presence.

Metaphysics of presence means believing truth or meaning is fully present and stable. Derrida argued against this, showing that meaning always depends on what is absent or different, not just what is present.

4. DifferAnce

1.Derridean concept of DifferAnce.

According to Derrida, it is difference as we differentiate a word from another to understand its meaning. We do not define, actually, we differentiate.

It is deference because the meaning is postponed - meaning is adjourned, put back.

2.Infinite play of meaning.

Infinite play of meaning means that words never have one stable meaning. They always lead to other words, so meaning keeps moving and can never be fully pinned down.

3.DIfferAnce = to differ + to defer.

It is difference + Deference. Derrida combines both word and coins a new word.

5. Structure, Sign and Play

1.Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences.

A Paper read at the colloquium on 'Structuralism' at Johan hopkins university.

2.Explain: "Language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique."

it means that language is full of hidden problems and double meanings, so it forces us to question how it works. Language isn’t stable—it critiques itself just by how it functions.

6. Yale School

1.The Yale School: the hub of the practitioners of Deconstruction in the literary theories.

Paul de Man, J Hillis Miller, Harold Bloom,Geoffrey Hartman

2.The characteristics of the Yale School of Deconstruction.

They Question both the aesthetic as well as formalist approach to literature an also question the histricisst or sociologist approach literature. Derrida’s deconstruction to show that literary texts have no final meaning. They focused on how language contradicts itself, revealing deep ambiguity and complexity in literature.

7. Other Schools and Deconstruction

1.How other schools like New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Marxism and Postcolonial theorists used Deconstruction?

Postcolonial theorists:its ability to show that the texts or the discourse of the colonizers can be deconstructed from within the narrative.

feminist theorists: it deals with how to subvert the binaries between male and female. By its ability to subvert patriarchal discourse

New Historicists: its ability to see historicity of text and textuality of history. History is textual and text is historical

Cultural Materialists: its ability to emphasize materiality of language - Language is material construct and it has got ability to unmask hidden ideological agendas.

References:

Barad, Dilip. “Dilip Barad | Teacher Blog: Deconstruction and Derrida.” Dilip Barad's Blog, 21 March 2015, https://blog.dilipbarad.com/2015/03/deconstruction-and-derrida.htm l. Accessed 26 June 2025.

DoE-MKBU. “Unit 5: 5.1 Derrida and Deconstruction - Definition (Final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl-3BPNk9gs .

---. “Unit 5: 5.2.1 Derrida and Deconstruction - Heideggar (Final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=buduIQX1ZIw .

---. “Unit 5: 5.2.2 Derrida and Deconstruction - Ferdinand de Saussure (Final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7M9rDyjDbA .

---. “Unit 5: 5.3 Derrida and Deconstruction - DifferAnce (Final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJPlxjjnpQk .

---. “Unit 5: 5.4 Derrida and Deconstruction - Structure, Sign & Play(final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOV2aDwhUas .

---. “Unit 5: 5.5 Derrida and Deconstruction - Yale School(final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_M8o7B973E .

---. “Unit 5: 5.6 Derrida and Destruction: Influence on other critical theories (final).avi.” YouTube, 22 June 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAU-17I8lGY .

Thank You!!!

Revolution and Reality: The Plot of Animal Farm by George Orwell

 “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”

 — George Orwell

                                          

# Discuss the plot line of ‘Animal Farm’ by George Oewell.

Introduction

George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) is a powerful allegorical novella that uses the setting of a farm to explore the rise of totalitarianism. With its deceptively simple narrative and talking animals, Orwell crafts a biting critique of Soviet communism and the betrayal of revolutionary ideals. While it may appear as a fable, Animal Farm is deeply political, with each character symbolizing real historical figures or ideologies from the Russian Revolution and beyond.

Plot Summary of Animal Farm

The story begins on Manor Farm, where the animals are oppressed by their negligent human master, Mr. Jones. Inspired by the dream of a wise old boar named Old Major, the animals rebel, overthrow Jones, and take over the farm. They rename it Animal Farm and set out to create a society where all animals are equal, free, and happy.

Under the leadership of the pigs—Snowball and Napoleon—the animals establish the Seven Commandments of Animalism, including the famous principle: "All animals are equal."

Soon, however, cracks begin to appear in this utopia.

• Snowball, an idealistic and intelligent pig, proposes the construction of a windmill to improve productivity. But he is suddenly driven out by Napoleon, who uses a private army of dogs to seize power.

• Napoleon gradually transforms into a tyrant, making deals with humans and rewriting history. He uses fear, propaganda (spread by the pig Squealer), and manipulation to maintain control.

• The animals, especially the hardworking horse Boxer, continue to believe in the cause despite growing suffering and confusion. Boxer's motto, “I will work harder”, reflects his blind loyalty.

Over time, the pigs become indistinguishable from the humans they once overthrew. The commandments are secretly changed, and the final principle evolves into:

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

The novella ends with the chilling image of pigs and humans dining together, while the other animals watch, unable to tell who is who

Conclusion: The Fable Behind the Farm

Orwell’s Animal Farm is a cautionary tale about how revolutions can be corrupted by power. The plot is a direct allegory of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the rise of Stalinism, with characters like Napoleon representing Joseph Stalin, Snowball representing Leon Trotsky, and Old Major representing Karl Marx or Lenin.

Though set on a farm, the story’s implications are universal. It explores how ideals can be twisted, how truth can be manipulated, and how the oppressed can become oppressors. Orwell’s message is clear: without accountability and critical thought, even the noblest revolutions can devolve into tyranny.

#Critical Analysis

1. Allegory and Historical Parallels

At its core, Animal Farm is a political allegory of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Soviet communism.

• Old Major, who dies before the revolution begins, represents Karl Marx or Lenin, the ideological founders of socialism.

• Napoleon, the pig who becomes dictator, symbolizes Joseph Stalin ruthless, power-hungry, and manipulative.

• Snowball mirrors Leon Trotsky, the idealist who is exiled and erased from history.

• Boxer, the loyal cart-horse, stands for the working class, exploited for their labor and discarded when no longer useful.

• Even the farm itself is a metaphor for the Soviet Union: a land of broken promises and failed utopia.

Through this symbolism, Orwell reveals how revolutions, despite their noble origins, are vulnerable to corruption and hypocrisy.

2. Power and Corruption

One of Orwell’s central concerns is the corrupting nature of power. The initial goal of equality quickly dissolves as the pigs seize control. As Napoleon rises to power, Orwell demonstrates how:

• Fear (through the dogs),

• Propaganda (through Squealer),

• and Control of Resources (such as food and education)

are used to dominate and silence dissent. The famous transformation of the commandments—culminating in "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"—illustrates the terrifying elasticity of language when twisted for authoritarian purposes.

3. Propaganda and Language

Orwell had a deep interest in the manipulation of language as a political weapon (further explored in his later novel, 1984). In Animal Farm, Squealer, the pig spokesperson, constantly rewrites facts, reinterprets events, and rebrands lies as truth.

This propaganda allows the pigs to:

• Rewrite history (Snowball’s role in the Battle of the Cowshed is erased),

• Justify oppression (the windmill is always “almost finished”),

• And suppress opposition (any dissenters are labeled “traitors”).
  
  

Through this, Orwell shows how regimes maintain power not just through violence, but through control of information and narrative.

4. Betrayal of Ideals

Perhaps the most tragic element in Animal Farm is the betrayal of hope. The animals' dream of a just and equal society is steadily dismantled. Boxer, who believes unwaveringly in Animalism and the leadership, is ultimately betrayed—sent to the slaughterhouse when he can no longer work. His fate underscores how the state exploits workers and discards them when they’re no longer profitable.

The revolution doesn’t fail because of outside enemies, but because of the internal betrayal by those in power—a sharp commentary on how revolutions often become indistinguishable from the regimes they sought to overthrow.

5. Relevance Today

Though based on Soviet history, Animal Farm transcends time and place. In any nation where leaders:

• Rewrite history,

• Silence dissent,

• Concentrate power,

• And betray the public trust,

Orwell’s critique applies. The novella remains a universal warning: that without vigilance, accountability, and truth, any system capitalist, communist, or otherwise can fall prey to tyranny.

Thank You!!!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

A Magical reading experience

Hello readers,

As a devoted Harry Potter fan, I recently completed Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. I was truly captivated by her imaginative storytelling and engaging writing style. Rowling's ability to blend magic with emotion makes the world of Hogwarts unforgettable and incredibly enchanting to read.

J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter Series is not just a story but an entire world where a world as mundane as number four, Privet Drive, and as magical as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The novel begins with the famously understated line:

“Mr and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much”

From this moment, Rowling plants the tension between the ordinary and the extraordinary, a theme that defines Harry’s journey.

When Harry’s life under the stairs is bleak, and the narration doesn’t shy from it:

“Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.”

But even this grim world is intruded upon by magic: letters addressed to “Mr. H. Potter, The Cupboard under the Stairs” arrive in waves, defying every effort by the Dursleys to suppress them. The arrival of Hagrid breaks the barrier between worlds:- “Harry  yer a wizard.”

This moment not only liberates Harry physically but reveals a hidden identity, which, as readers, we feel is richly deserved.

Rowling doesn’t give us a flawless hero. Harry is small, often unsure, and very human:

“He had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes.”

But he also carries a scar “shaped like a bolt of lightning” a sign of survival and destiny.

 

As Dumbledore later says:-“He'll have that scar forever.”

And the world knows it. Even before Harry enters the wizarding world, strangers treat him with awe. But Rowling warns against empty fame:

“Famous before he can walk and talk,

 Famous for something he won’t even remember”

 The Worldbuilding Wonder

One of Rowling’s greatest strengths lies in her meticulous, whimsical, and immersive worldbuilding. From Gringotts Bank to the Sorting Hat, every detail is laced with charm and danger.

Even character names sparkle with suggestiveness: Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Minerva McGonagall, and of course, Albus Dumbledore, who tells McGonagall:

“I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort’s name.”

This act of naming becomes moral clarity Rowling’s world may be magical, but it is also ethical.

Though magic dazzles, it’s Harry’s friendship with Ron and Hermione that lends the story heart. In the final act, when the trio face deadly enchantments to prevent the Philosopher’s Stone from falling into the wrong hands, it is not just bravery but teamwork and selflessness that win. Dumbledore’s words resonate:-“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

And perhaps most crucially:

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a book that grows with its reader. What begins as a fairy tale of a lonely boy discovering his power evolves into a meditation on identity, mortality, and the burden of fame. With vivid imagery, dry humor, and a richly developed moral landscape, Rowling's first book remains a classic not just of children’s literature, but of storytelling itself.

So when we close the final page, we remember those words whispered in the dark:

“To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!”

Thank You!!!

Paper 105: History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900

 M.A.SEM-1 | Presentation Session-1

Paper 105: History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900

Topic: A Comparison of Johnathan Swift's Gulliver's Travel and Denial Defoe's Robinson Crusoe

Presentation Link: Click here

Video Link: Click Here

Gulliver's Travels & Robinson Crusoe comparison from khushigoswami05317

Paper 104: Literature of the Victorians

M.A.SEM-1 | Presentation Session-1

Paper 104: Literature of the Victorians

Presentation Topic:Dehumanization in the age of Algorithms

Presentation Link:Click Here

Video Link: Click Here

 

Dehumanization in the Age of Algorithms in context of 'Hard Times' from khushigoswami05317

Paper 103: Literature of the Romantics

 M.A.SEM-1 | Presentation Session-1

Paper 103: Literature of the Romantics

Topic: From Prometheus to Kalki: Ethics and Myth in creation stories

Presentation Link: Click Here

Video Link: Click Here

From Prometheus to Kalki Ethics and Myth in creation stories from khushigoswami05317

Paper 102: Literature of the Neo-Classical Period

 M.A Sem-1 | Presentation Session-1

Paper 102: Literature of the Neoclassical Period

Topic: Religious Allegory in 'A Tale of A Tub'

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Video Link: Click Here

 

Religious allegory in 'A tale of a tub' by Johnathan swift from khushigoswami05317

Paper 101 : Literature of The Elizabethan and Restoration Periods

M.A. SEM-1| Presentation Session-1

Paper 101: Literature of The Elizabethan and Restoration Periods

Submitted to: Department of English, M.K.Bhavnagar University 

Presentation Topic: Shakespeare's Concept of Tragedy

Presentation Link:Click Here

Video Link: Click Here

Shakespeare's concept of tragedy with defination from khushigoswami05317

October Junction – एक अधूरी मुलाकात की पूरी कहानी |

 एक स्मृति, एक सवाल, एक चुप्पी का दस्तावेज़

कहानी जो सच और सपना दोनों है

"October Junction" दिव्य प्रकाश दुबे का एक मार्मिक उपन्यास है जो प्रेम, स्मृति और लेखन की जटिलताओं को दर्शाता है। पढ़िए एक आलोचनात्मक समीक्षा, स्त्री दृष्टिकोण और लेखकीय संघर्षों के साथ। 

यह किताब एक प्रेम कहानी नहीं, बल्कि एक लेखकीय और भावनात्मक संघर्ष की यात्रा है। यह समीक्षा किताब की परतों को खोलते हुए चिरा और सुदीप की उस मुलाकात की पड़ताल करती है, जो अधूरी होकर भी सब कुछ कह जाती है।

पहली मुलाक़ात - किताब से नहीं, उसके असर से

सोशल मीडिया पर मैंने अक्सर देखा था  भावुक रीलें, किताब की पंक्तियाँ, और “सुदीप और चित्रा” जैसे नाम जिनके बीच कुछ अधूरा सा था। लगा यह कोई रोमांटिक कथा होगी, शायद कुछ musafir café जैसा। लेकिन जब मैंने October Junction पढ़ना शुरू किया, तो मुझे एहसास हुआ कि यह सिर्फ़ अधूरे प्रेम की नहीं, बल्कि लेखन, पहचान, और स्मृति के संकट की कहानी है।

यह कहानी शुरू होती है एक लेखिका चित्रा पाठक से, जो एक पत्रकार सम्मेलन में यह घोषणा करती है कि उसने जो लोकप्रिय फिक्शन सीरीज़ "तीन पाट" लिखी, वह असल में सुरभि पराशर के नाम से थी — और उस पहचान के पीछे छिपा था एक और लेखक: सुदीप यादव।

यह कथानक नहीं, बल्कि एक meta-narrative है — कहानी के भीतर कहानी, जहाँ लेखक, लेखन और लेखकीय श्रेय पर सवाल उठता है। चित्रा और सुदीप की मुलाकात 10 अक्टूबर 2010 को बनारस में हुई थी। वही दिन, वही घाट, वही नाव, वही पहली बातचीत — सब कुछ स्मृति में अटका हुआ है। यह memory theory को सजीव करता है — कि स्मृति linear नहीं होती, वह दुहराव और अधूरेपन से बनी होती है।

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📖 सुदीप: एक लेखक, एक प्रेमी, या एक ‘घोस्ट’?

सुदीप को हम एक successful tech entrepreneur के रूप में जानते हैं, लेकिन उसकी छवि धीरे-धीरे बदलती है। वह केवल एक 'ghostwriter' नहीं, बल्कि एक ऐसा व्यक्ति है जो शब्दों के ज़रिए अपने रिश्तों को परिभाषित करता है।

लेकिन सवाल उठता है :- क्या लेखन का श्रेय देने से कोई रिश्ता पूरा हो जाता है?

📖 चित्रा: नायिका नहीं, लेखिका

चित्रा की सबसे बड़ी खूबी यह है कि वह केवल किसी की प्रेमिका नहीं, वह एक लेखिका है अपनी पहचान के लिए लड़ने वाली। वह चाहती है कि उसका चेहरा अख़बार में हो, वह ‘पेज 3’ सेलिब्रिटी नहीं, बल्कि एक महिला है जो अपने अस्तित्व की वैधता चाहती है।

यहाँ female agency की बात सामने आती है चित्रा अपनी आवाज़, अपनी कहानी, अपने choices की मालिक बनना चाहती है। लेकिन क्या समाज  और सुदीप  उसे ऐसा बनने देता है?

विषयवस्तु: प्रेम, स्मृति और लेखकत्व

पुस्तक सवाल पूछती है:-क्या कहानी लिखना ही लेखकत्व है, या उसे जीना भी ज़रूरी है?

चित्रा के लिए लेखक होना एक सामाजिक पहचान है, लेकिन सुदीप के लिए यह भावनात्मक पूर्ति। यह संघर्ष ‘who gets to tell the story’ का रूप लेता है — जिसे Michel Foucault के Author Function के संदर्भ में पढ़ा जा सकता है।

सुदीप की चुप्पियाँ और वापसी की कोशिशें कई बार emotionally manipulative लगती हैं। चित्रा को बार-बार रिश्ते में clarity की तलाश रहती है, लेकिन उसे ambiguity मिलती है। यह emotional labor की असंतुलित संरचना है — जहाँ स्त्री संवाद ढूँढती है, पुरुष चुप्पी।

October as Symbol

‘October’ इस कहानी में मौसम नहीं, मनःस्थिति है — वह समय जहाँ सबकुछ थम जाता है। ‘Junction’ केवल रेलवे स्टेशन नहीं, बल्कि वह बिंदु है जहाँ दो ज़िंदगियाँ टकराती हैं, लेकिन मंज़िलें अलग-अलग होती हैं।

“हमारी दो ज़िंदगियाँ होती हैं। एक जो हम हर दिन जीते हैं, और एक जो हम हर दिन जीना चाहते हैं।”

“कुछ कहानियों को बस जी लेना ही उनका लिख लेना होता है।”

ये पंक्तियाँ न केवल गूढ़ हैं, बल्कि लेखक और पाठक के बीच एक भावनात्मक पुल का काम करती हैं।

Junction नहीं, एक Mirror

October Junction मेरे लिए एक भावनात्मक दस्तावेज़ था। यह किसी प्रेम कहानी से ज़्यादा एक चेतावनी है  कि हम अपने अधूरे रिश्तों को शब्दों से भरना चाहते हैं, लेकिन क्या हर शब्द में सच्चाई होती है?

यह उपन्यास हमें यह भी याद दिलाता है कि स्मृति कभी objective नहीं होती वह हमेशा किसी के द्वारा, किसी के लिए गढ़ी जाती है।

धन्यवाद इस समीक्षा को पढ़ने के लिए ।

I would like to acknowledge ChatGPT for assisting me in writing this review in Hindi.