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Structuralism theory

$1.25

Monday, April 28, 2014

Vol XCIII, No. 311

Structuralism

(1950's to 60's)

Literary Criticism

Structuralism challenged the belief that a work of literature reflected a given reality; instead, a text was constituted of linguistic conventions and situated among other texts.

Structuralist critics analyzed material by examining underlying structures, such as characterization or plot, and attempted to show how these patterns were universal and could thus be used to develop general conclusions about both individual works and the systems from which they emerged.

Structuralism looks for underlying themes in a larger group to see how a single example fits in a system. It is more concerned with the method of transmitting an idea and how meaning is created, rather than the idea itself.

It states that language consists on conventionally agreed connections between symbols and external objects. These connections vary between cultures, however there are underlying universal structures like ugly vs beautiful that are constant throughout cultures.

"...if you examine the physical structures of all buildings built in urban America in 1850 to discover the underlying principles that govern their composition, for example, principles of mechanical construction or of artistic form..." you are using a structuralist lens. (Tyson 197-198).

“Literary theory” is the body of ideas and methods we use in the practical reading of literature.

Literary theory is a description of the underlying principles, one might say the tools, by which we attempt to understand literature.

A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory.

Beginning of Structuralism

"Nothing is a sign

unless it is

interpreted as

a sign."

Charles Sanders Pierce

Ferdinand de Saussure

(1857 - 1913)

Charles Sanders Peirce

(1839 - 1914)

References

Conclusion

Signs

Brizee, Allen, and J. Case Tompkins. "Structuralism and Semiotics (1920s

Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford

  • iconic signs, in which the signifier resembles the thing signified.
  • indexes, in which the signifier is a reliable indicator of the presence of the signified.
  • true symbols, in which the signifier's relation to the thing signified is completely arbitrary and conventional.

McManus, Barbara F. "Structuralist Approaches." The College of New

Rather than merely analyzing a book’s meaning, critics do their best to find how an author creates meaning. Critics do not disregard meaning, but believe that the meaning is found deep beneath symbols/signs.

Structuralism is a way to examine a literary text to arrive at their meaning, rather than the actual meanings of the text themselves.

present)." Purdue Online Writing Lab. Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University, 19 Oct. 2011. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/07/>.

University Press, 1997.

Rochelle. N.p., Oct. 1998. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/structuralism.html>.

10 Aug. 2008. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/dherring/ap/consider/frye/indexfryeov.htm>.

"Northrop Frye's Theory of Archetypes." Tucson Unified School District. N.p.,

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