Deconstruction Approach

DeconstructionISM
By:
Glenne Hannah Ashley S. Gildore
Jan Rey Gustillo

Jacques Derrida
• French Theorist, philosopher, and writer
• His areas of study include philosophy, literary criticism and
literary theory
• Studied Philosophy at a very prestigious school in Paris,
Ecole Normale Superieure
• He received a great deal of popularity for his theories and
writing style, and equally as much criticism for them
• In 1967, he introduced the theory of Deconstruction

ORIGINS OF DECONSTRUCTION
Derrida’s main influence for the development of this
theory was from the theorist, Martin Heidegger
In his work called Being and Time, Heidegger talks about
“destructuring” of previous ontological concepts such as
time, history, matter, ect. in order to better understand them

BINARY OPPOSITION
• Words have binary opposites like good/evil, mind/body,
speech/writing. Usually one side is valued higher than
the other. This creates difficulties that deconstruction
aims to correct.
• By deconstructing these binary oppositions, we are able
to uncover the foundation.
• Derrida argued that philosophical traditions were
largely “marginalized,” and with the application of
deconstruction, it is possible to express what has been
repressed in these traditions.

COMPARISON
FORMALISM
• Every feature works
together to create
meaning.
• Critics say that the
formalist approach does
not give enough
consideration to
historical and cultural
factors.
DECONSTRUCTION
Finds ways that the
features of a literary
work contradict each
other
Ignores historical
factors
May also lead to
nihilism or relativism

• Deconstructionists look for the ways the
elements in literature contradict each
other.
• Premises:
• Words cannot express meaning.
• Every utterance contains a lie by
omitting all other possible utterances.
• Interpretations are sometimes bizarre and
contradictory.

Deconstructionists focus on how language is
used to achieve power. Since they believe,
in the words of critic David Lehman, that
“there are no truths, only rival
interpretations

BINARY OPPOSITION
• Words have binary opposites like good/evil,
mind/body, speech/writing. Usually one side is
valued higher than the other. This creates
difficulties that deconstruction aims to correct.
• By deconstructing these binary oppositions, we
are able to uncover the foundation.
• Derrida argued that philosophical traditions were
largely “marginalized,” and with the application
of deconstruction, it is possible to express what
has been repressed in these traditions.

HOW IS IT USED IN LITERARY
ANALYSIS?
• Used as a tool in narrative analysis
• Starts with a very careful reading that looks for
inconsistency and contradictions in the text
• The results often uncovering of a deeply complex
foundation that is difficult to make sense of
• This is one of the many criticism of Deconstruction,
that it nihilistic and unproductive because it leads to
uncertainty.

Deconstruction may strike you as a
negative, even destructive, critical approach,
and yet its best practitioners are adept at
exposing the inadequacy of much
conventional criticism. By patient analysis,
they can sometimes open up the most
familiar text and find in it fresh and
unexpected significance.

JAPAYUKISAN
Monang Fermin just came from Japan. The only reason why she
came home is because of her father’s death. She worked as a
cleric in bank at Japan but later on was transferred. She
reasoned that her boss in the bank was a chauvinist so she
decided to apply for a new job at a department store. The
night after her father’s burial, Monang and Fidela (her mother)
talked about the land that their father had which would be
under the reform program. Monang became furious and
promised that she will not let it happen. She became irritable
the whole time and her mother was worried and confront her
why she is being unreasonable with everything but she just
reasoned out that she is just tired and needs a rest. She’s been
waiting for a call from her friend Linda and she became
paranoid waiting for a call and a mail.

JAPAYUKISAN
Until one day, her ex boyfriend Franco who married her best
friend visits her in her home. They talked about what
happened in the past and Monang blame Franco for
leaving him without any reasonable reason. But Franco
told her that she owe an explanation to him for what
happened to them. Monang can’t explain what she feels
that time. Then Franco revealed that one time he got a
placement in Bahrain and be flying there through Japan
and wanted to surprise Monang but unfortunately he
couldn’t find the address , but that night he decided to
join his friends to go out and have some fun then he saw
Monang. Monang was shocked hearing this revelation
from Franco. He saw her that night. Later on she
explained to Franco what really happened.

JAPAYUKISAN
As everyone knew, she thought her job would be a clerical job
but she only stayed it for just a few months but then she found
out that they wouldn’t give her passport back. She offered to
finish her contract but they wouldn’t and shunted her to
another job in a resort which catered to tourists. Then the
recruiters and backers whom she taught help her were
syndicate and threaten them that if they didn’t do what they
were told their lives will be at stake. With no other choices,
She became a prostitute. But after four years a businessman
found her and save her from the syndicate and get her a decent
job. Franco was also shocked to hear this tragic story from
Monang and asked her to start a new beginning with him, but
Monang denied him and told him that she’ll be back in Japan.
For her, her home is a good place but it isn’t for people like
her. It’s for people without a past, only a future. She told
Franco that

JAPAYUKISAN
The Monang he knew died a longtime ago,
slain in some dark bed in an unnumbered
room, in some nameless street in a strange
land. Franco lose hope that He and
Monang could start anew, she had been a
cold and hard woman and Japan had
turned her into this. The last words that
Monang told Franco is that “If you wish
to keep memories, let them be of Monang.
Not the girl you saw in Japan. Then you’ll
remember her more kindly.”

JAPAYUKISAN
After Franco leave, a mailman arrived and
calls for her name saying that a mail was
send to her. It was the mail that she’s been
waiting for. It is the contract with her job
in japan. But she told the mailman
tonelessly that “There’s no one here by
that name”

ANALYSIS
The story Japayukisan depicts the life of Monang
whom we think is a very successful person
who worked at Japan and had a decent job not
knowing of what really happened to her. The
way she dress and carries herself with a great
deal of poise and confidence shows that she
has a positive life in Japan. The story revolves
around her. She stayed for five years in Japan
and went home because of her father’s death.

ANALYSIS
The whole time of the story Monang has been
very unreasonable with everything and always
emphasizes that she worked hard in
Japan.When being asked of her job in Japan,
she gets angry and furious and don’t want to
talk about it the reason why her mother told her
that she is being unreasonable. Also, she is
being paranoid waiting for a mail which
includes her new contract. The story goes on
until Franco visited her in her home and
confronted her of what happened in the past.

ANALYSIS
Deconstructionists look for the ways the
elements in literature contradict each other. It
is clear in the story that Monang do not want to
stay in Philippines and is very eager to go back
in Japan.
Even though she and Franco had settled their past
and asked her to start a new beginning she still
denied it and determine to renew her contract
but in the end after the mail has arrived she did
not receive it which shows the contradiction.

ANALYSIS
In deconstruction we find the tension and
the contradiction within the text looking
for ideas that don’t really match.
One contradiction showed was when Franco
has been attending the wake of Monang’s
father the whole week while Monang still
didn’t arrive. Franco also asked Neneng
about Monang. But on the day of the
funeral he did not show.

ANALYSIS
Another shows contradiction that leads the
readers to another path is how Monang
describe her Job in Japan. The way she
narrate her job description is believable.
Factors also affects this such as the setting
of the house, the interior design which
shows the social status of their family.

Deconstruction Approach

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