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!!!