Part 19: Structuralism

How to analyze literature?

Structuralism in literary studies stems from the work of linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, who revolutionized the study of language with his theories on how meaning is created through systems of signs. Saussure’s ideas significantly influenced structuralist literary theory, alongside earlier inspiration from Russian formalism, which emphasized the formal structures of texts over their historical or biographical contexts.

At its core, structuralism views a text as a system where every element gains meaning in relation to other elements within that system. Just as words in a sentence depend on their position and relationship to one another to convey meaning, the various parts of a story, its characters, events, symbols, and narrative techniques, interact to form a coherent whole. Structuralists analyze texts by breaking them down into smaller components to uncover the rules and conventions that govern how meaning is produced.

For instance, in The Yellow Wallpaper, structuralist analysis might focus on recurring patterns, such as the interplay between confinement and freedom, or the symbolism of the wallpaper itself in relation to the narrator’s psychological state. These patterns are not viewed in isolation but as part of a larger system that generates the text’s overall meaning. They could also focus on the fragmentary storytelling.

From structuralism, semiotics emerged—a field that zooms in even further to analyze the smallest units of meaning, such as symbols, signs, and their associations. Semiotics examines how meaning is constructed and communicated through signs, considering both their literal (denotative) and implied (connotative) meanings. For example, the chaotic patterns of the wallpaper might be interpreted semiotically as a "sign" representing the narrator’s mental entrapment or societal oppression.

While structuralism sought to uncover universal principles and patterns in literature, it faced criticism for its rigidity. This critique gave rise to post-structuralism, which challenges the idea that meaning is stable or universally determined. Post-structuralists argue that language itself is flawed, ambiguous, and open to endless reinterpretation.

In summary, structuralism offers a methodical way to analyze texts by dissecting their underlying structures and relationships, providing insight into how meaning is systematically created. However, its limitations, such as ignoring historical, cultural, or individual variations, led to the evolution of post-structuralism, which highlights the fluid, shifting nature of meaning in literature.

<3 Jonna