In-Depth Notes on Literary Analysis from a Structuralist Perspective

Literary Analysis: Structuralist Perspective

  • Definition of Structuralism

    • Studies the systems of relationships that exist in language and symbols.

    • Demonstrates how these systems shape our thinking and understanding.

    • Acknowledges the arbitrary nature of how letters represent ideas.

    • Focuses on opposites that often appear in literary constructs.

  • Key Figures

    • Ferdinand de Saussure

    • Developed structural linguistics (1906-1911).

    • Emphasized the objective study of literature through surface structure analysis.

    • Introduced the concept of arbitrary relationships between sign and signifier.

    • Claude Levi-Strauss

    • Expanded structuralism by introducing the binary approach.

    • Studied paired opposites (binary oppositions) within texts, both intentional and unintentional.

  • Binary Oppositions

    • Identifying opposites within a text is crucial for structuralist analysis.

    • Example: In "Young Goodman Brown," the phrase "My Faith is gone" can refer to his wife or his religion, showcasing double entendres.

  • Application in Fairy Tales: Cinderella

    • Oppositions include:

    • Beautiful vs. Ugly: Cinderella is pretty; step-sisters are ugly.

    • Wealth vs. Poverty: Cinderella is penniless; step-sisters have money.

    • Good vs. Evil: Cinderella is good; step-sisters are evil.

    • Reversal of Fortune: Cinderella gains fortune; step-sisters lose theirs.

  • Narrative Structure

    • The sequence of events and how they interact with contrasting imagery are essential.

    • Elements include:

    • Juxtaposition of opposite imagery.

    • Contradictions and reversals.

    • Narrative techniques that build suspense (e.g., flashbacks, varying timelines).

  • Barthes' Codes

    • Code of Actions: Explores meaning in event sequences.

    • Code of Puzzles: Engages readers with unanswered questions (mysteries).

    • Example: A detective finding a body in a locked room builds suspense.

    • Cultural Code: Contextual knowledge and values referenced in text.

    • Example: A detective recognizes symbols adding depth for knowledgeable readers.

    • Connotative Code: Themes developed through character connotations.

    • Example: A detective’s attire reflects experience.

    • Symbolic Code: The broader significance of themes and symbols in the narrative.

    • Example: Yorick’s skull symbolizing mortality.

  • Genette's Five Aspects of Narrative Discourse

    • A. Order (Temporal Structure)

    • Relationship between chronological events (fabula) and their narrative presentation (sjuzhet).

    • Narrative manipulation: analepsis (flashback) and prolepsis (flashforward).

    • Example: Wuthering Heights shows analepsis by shifting to past events.

    • B. Duration (Narrative Speed)

    • Techniques to manipulate time: summary, scene, ellipsis, pause, stretch.

    • Example: Proust's long memory sequences.

    • C. Frequency (Repetition)

    • Types of narration: singulative, repetitive, iterative.

    • Example: One Hundred Years of Solitude shows iterative fates through generations.

    • D. Mood (Focalization)

    • Types of perspective: zero focalization (omniscient), internal, and external focalization.

    • Example: Sherlock Holmes stories use external focalization to describe actions.

    • E. Voice (Narration)

    • Narrator classification based on involvement: heterodiegetic, homodiegetic, and autodiegetic.

    • Example: Ishmael in Moby-Dick as a homodiegetic narrator.

  • Transtextuality

    • Genette's concept: explores relationships between texts, categorized into five types:

    • Intertextuality: Text within text (allusions).

    • Paratextuality: Elements surrounding a text (prefaces).

    • Metatextuality: Commentary on another text.

    • Hypertextuality: Derived texts (adaptations).

    • Architextuality: Genre classification.

  • Conclusion on Genette's Structuralism

    • Using Genette’s theories reveals the structured narrative of The Great Gatsby, focusing on themes beyond love and wealth, exploring how structure shapes perception.

    • Temporal distortions, focalization perspectives influence understanding, and intertextuality links Gatsby's story to broader narratives.

  • Understanding Differences in Literature

    • How elements (words, chapters) reveal differences.

    • Analyze character/narrator perspectives.

    • Look for changes in tone, adjustments in behavior, and reveal patterns.

    • Identify the relationship of primary images/events and differentiate significance.

    • Link works within their genre and across different categories for deeper analysis.