For me, deconstruction is among the most fun of literary criticisms. Derrida, one of the foremost deconstructionists, talked of “play” with regard to examining texts, and there is a kind of irreverence that comes hand-in-glove with this approach. New Criticism, for example, assumes that texts are unified constructs, and that everything in it points to a certain conclusion. Deconstruction, on the other hand, considers texts to be messy and complex things, and so it assumes that there are numerous and conflicting drives battling it out within. If New Criticism is a crystalline structure, then Deconstruction is a gas. Make sure you understand the concept of binary operations and privileged views—the deconstruction of Frost’s “Mending Wall” is a great example of deconstructive analysis. (If you can demonstrate this kind of thinking and analysis on the AP exam, you’ll have little problem on the written portion!) Above all, deconstruction is about seeking out ambiguity and those places where a person sees conflicting ways to look at a text. Or perhaps just turning a text on its head, questioning the conventional accepted ideology a text seems to provide (its privileged view) and seeing what shakes out. Deconstruction is also a strong feature of post-1960s writing. For instance, Brooklyn 99 is a deconstruction of the cop shows of the 1970s, The Cabin in the Woods and Scream are deconstructions of the horror movie, and Seinfeld was a deconstruction of the traditional format of the television sitcom. More on this later. For this chapter (should you choose to accept the mission), take a text (and by text it could be anything!) with a commonly accepted interpretation and seek out competing ideologies. Find a binary in the text, and tell us which one seems to get the upper hand in the end (becomes the privileged view). For example, were I to examine Full House, one thread I might pursue is the adult v. youth binary opposition. What are the features of both? How do they play out in the show? What ideology emerges as we examine the parts of this opposition? What contradictions emerge that have to be identified and/or reconciled? Does the show give a mixed message? (I maintain it does, but in the nature of deconstructive criticism, your mileage may vary. For example, look at this IMDb summary of the Season 5 opener: Jesse and Becky argue over whether they want to learn the sex of their baby, but the squabble is quickly forgotten when an ultrasound reveals that they are expecting twins. DJ struggles with her identity as she enters high school. Stephanie is pleased with the fourth grade and her new teacher. Michelle has a difficult time making friends as she starts kindergarten. Notice a pattern here? All four strands (remember, this is a 22-minute episode, so it doesn't allow for much time for anything else) deal directly with youth and identity. Jesse and Becky have a plot line, but even it centers on children. Another binary we might look into in this episode would be individuality vs. conformity. Not having seen this episode, my analysis might be laughably incomplete, but it appears that each plot line deals with society-informed preconceptions that must be overcome or reconsidered in the end. If you'd like, read a more detailed synopsis (or watch the episode for yourself) and add to/correct my analysis! Good luck!
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