Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar. Prepared this blog to understand work area, process and other things about Library Committee of Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.
Hello, i am Himanshi Parmar, prepared this blog to give information about mass media Committee in our department, Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University. Here, i (Himanshi Parmar) and my classmate Divya Parmar made ppt, that i have shared here, which might be helpful.
Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about my understanding on deconstruction and method of deconstruction with the chosen examples.
What is deconstruction :-
According to Oxford Dictionary, "Deconstruction means a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which emphasizes the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational quality of meaning, and the assumptions implicit in forms of expression."
The term deconstruction refers to approaches to understanding the relationship between text and meaning. Deconstruction doesn't mean to break something, but it is about to analysing something in a smaller parts and in more deeper way. Deconstruction by deviding the text into parts, try to break assumption that text does have one particular meaning. Here, it is very important to understand that deconstruction is not similar to destruction. Deconstruction is not a negative term, not a positive either. But we can say it is more positive because deconstruction doesn't try to breakdown something but it helps to change views of someone about something.
To understand the term Deconstruction, it is very important to understand it's etymology.
Origin and development of "Deconstruction" :-
The term Deconstruction was originated by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in 1960s. The seeds of Deconstruction sprouted from Martin Heideggar (1889-1976). Derrida take reference from Heideggar's project that he wanted to translates into french from German. Derrida tries to explain his concept of Deconstruction to his Japanese friend in a letter named professor Izutsu on 10 July 1983. Deconstruction is a form of Literary and Philosophical analysis.Then later on in 1970s the term applied by Derrida along with Paul de Man, J. Hillis Miller, and Barbara Johnson with other scholars. The term started being use in various fields from 1980s like areas of the humanities, social science,philosophy,literature,law, psychoanalysis, architecture, anthropology, theology, feminism, gay and lesbian studies, political theory, historiography, and film theory. And in late 20s it was being used by nihilism and frivolous skepticism.
In literature Deconstruction mostly used in the field of structuralism and criticism.Beginning in France in the 1950s, the structuralist movement in anthropology analyzed various cultural phenomena as general systems of “signs” and attempted to develop “metalanguages” of terms and concepts in which the different sign systems could be described. While explaining the sign Derrida introduced new word "DifferAnce".
Derrida argues are based on distinctions or binary oppositions. And this conditions are responsible for undoing the texts. And the term that he uses for this is "DifferAnce".Derrida considered language as an ever-changing movement. Therefore, he substituted the diachronic term “unmotivation” for arbitrariness. He also made up a word: différance to replace différence, because the word différence cannot fully explain the correspondence between word and meaning from a diachronic perspective.
Derrida combines both words difference + Deference and creats a new word differance.A concept introduced by Derrida, differance is a pun on “difference” and “deferment”, and is that attribute of language, by which meaning is generated because of a word's difference from other words in a signifying system, and at the same time, meaning is inevitably and infinitely deferred.DifferAnce is not an idea or concept but a force which makes differentiation possible , which makes postponing possible.DifferAnce is a force which make postponing possible.
Structure, sign and play in the discourse of the human science is the a paper read on structuralism at Johns Hopkins in 1966 by philosopher Jacques Derrida.The lecture is widely cited as the starting point for post-structuralism in the United States. Derrida said that structuralism when first began it begans like criticism and attack on metaphysics and science. On one hand structuralism is criticizing the metaphysics and science but on the other hand it is using a same assumptions.criticism is movie around the tradition for example Heideggar said that Friedrich Nietzche was last metaphysics but Derrida said Heideggar is the last metaphysician.this how criticism never go out of tradition.
Criticism is happened because of language. Because language coded assumptions into it. So in final meaning of language never be achieved but it can only be promised and differed.so difference make ultimate interpretation. when critics make criticism on something they use same language and same language leads to same ideas and assumptions.when one can start attacking or criticising something they start coping that in a sense. And according to Derrida that is happened because of language, because they are using same language. This how language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique.
Derrida said, "language bears within itself the necessity of its own critique".
Now further let me deconstruct some Advertisements as an example of deconstruction.
1) Advertisement of Fair and Handsome Beauty Cream.
This advertisement is of men fairness cream named Fair and Handsome Fairness cream. If we observe language of both this ad of same product, with the feminist point of view, it becomes problematic. In both the advertisement we have dialogues like, "mard hoke ladkiyo vali fairness cream!" Tone of this sentence seems very ocward and creat inferiority complex for women. This advertisement somehow seems as it is supporting male dominated environment. And if men do something or use something which belongs to women, it is becomes shameful for him which we find in this advertisement. This also reflect society where women and men are still not considered as a similar, where superiority of men still exist.
2] Fair and Lovely Cream advertisement :-
In this video we have Advertisements of Women fairness cream named Fair and Lovely. In this video they include all the advertisements of this product since 2005 to recent one. In all this advertisements we find that the women is portrait as a black and later on turns into fair by applying Fair and Lovely fairness cream. But in between this we find hidden sign that when she is black she feel inferior and lack of confidence, while she turnes into fair she also gain confidence and becomes attraction for other girls. Somewhere this idea we can connect with Colonial concept.
When Britishers started colonizing people, they think they are superior than others because they are fair. Their fairness is because of god made them from his/her own skin while all other black or whitish skinned people are made up of waste. Same thought they poured into the mind of black and whitish people and they also started believing themselves inferior and them to superior. But later on people understand that this is untruth. After decolonization this white people leave india but still if we see unconsciously that white superiority comes into our movies, advertisements and in our social life also. This Fair and Lovely product's advertisements proving it. In this advertisement we find how after becoming fair, women started getting attention and becomes confident. Also she started getting job, and becoming successful in love etc etc. This showing that if one can be fair then only all this things are possible, and opportunities and love is not for black skinned people. Also this advertisements are boosting racism.
This both are the advertisements of detergent powder named Surf excel. In first advertisement there is a boy who is convincing his coach to not leave coaching. And in second video the boy trying to convince elder boys to let them play in ground. But in both the advertisements, boys got stain on his clothes. we find one common dialogue in all the advertisements of Surf excel detergent powder.that is, "Daag Achhe Hain".
This sentence is very much problematic. One can read Daag (stain) as a Cynicism and social perversion. Which according to society and law is not normal and acceptable at all. This advertisement supporting Nastiness in society. This one sentence can make advertisement negative and anti - national that supporting a crimes in society. This how we can deconstruct the advertisement.
I hope my blog will be helpful to you and easy to understand concept of deconstruction and examples as well. Thank you!
Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about "An Astrologer's day" by R. K. Narayan with the discussion on several important questions assigned by Yesha Bhatt ma'am. To see the questions click here. but before that, here is some important details about The story "An Astrologer's day",R. K. Narayan and short film titled as, An Astrologer's day. Which is Also based on the story of R. K. Narayan.
An Astrologer's Day by R. K. Narayan :-
An Astrologer's Day was written by author R. K. Narayan. It is a thriller and suspense short story. It was the titular story of Narayan's fourth collection of short stories titled Malgudi Days published in 1947 by Indian Thought Publications. An Astrologer's Day was the first chapter of Malgudi Days. Some important themes of the storie are,1)Irony of fate,2)Religion and blind faith,3)Crime and Punishment, 4)Human Greed,5)Karma (tit for tat) etc.
The third-person, omniscient narrator begins by describing a day in the life of an astrologer. The story is about a man working as a astrologer. Who meeting the man named Guru Nayak whom he once tried to kill, and how he make him believe that the person who tried to kill him in past is died.
"He died four months ago in
a far-off town. You will never see any more of him."
He is not astrologer at all. Even he don't have any knowledge about starts and sky, but he pretend that he has and fool people and earn money by fooling them.
"He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent customers".
When he meet Guru Nayak whom he once tried to kill,the person not able to recognize him. So astrologer take advantage of it and charge him more money and told about his past which he obviously aware because they were friends and time and again enemies at that time. So he told to the person about his body scare, how he left to die, how someone attempted to murder him but failed, about his village and threat him by saying that he must stay in his village only, if he travel more then it will be dangerous for him. And the person easily get agree with him and return to his village with the thought that the person once tired to kill him, died very cruelly. And astrologer feel light for that he didn't kill anyone and now he has no danger ever.
"You were left for dead. Am I right ? "
"Ah, tell me more."
"A knife has passed through you once ? " said the astrologer.
"Good fellow ! " He bared his chest to show the scar. "What else?"
"And then you were pushed into a well nearby in the field. You were left
for dead."
"I see once again great danger to your life if you go from home."
"Rub it on your forehead and
go home. Never travel southward again, and you will live to be a hundred."
About R.K.Narayan :-
Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami is generally known as R. K. Narayan. He was born 10 October 1906 and died at 13 May 2001. He is considering as a one of the leading figure of Indian English Literature along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao. He was a short story writer, also known for his fictional works. He was received many Notable awards during his lifetime, like Padma Vibhushan, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, and Benson Medal. During his life time he wrote lots of Mythology, Non - Fiction and Short stories. For example,
Novels -
Swami and Friends (1935, Hamish Hamilton)
The Bachelor of Arts (1937, Thomas Nelson)
The Dark Room (1938, Eyre)
The English Teacher (1945, Eyre)
Mr. Sampath (1948, Eyre)
The Financial Expert (1952, Methuen)
Waiting for the Mahatma (1955, Methuen)
The Guide (1958, Methuen)
Non - Fictions -
Next Sunday (1960, Indian Thought Publications)
My Dateless Diary (1960, Indian Thought Publications)
My Days (1973, Viking)
Reluctant Guru (1974, Orient Paperbacks)
The Emerald Route (1980, Indian Thought Publications)
A Writer's Nightmare (1988, Penguin Books)
Mythology -
Gods, Demons and Others (1964, Viking)
The Ramayana (1972, Chatto & Windus)
The Mahabharata (1978, Heinemann)
Short stories -
Malgudi Days (1942, Indian Thought Publications)
An Astrologer's Day and Other Stories (1947, Indian Thought Publications)
Lawley Road and Other Stories (1956, Indian Thought Publications)
A Horse and Two Goats (1970)
Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories (1985)
Film An Astrologer's Day :-
Here is the film.
The film is based on R. K. Narayan's short story An Astrologer's day. It is a 13:37 seconds short film. Made by Pocket film - Indian short films.here is the information of cast and crew of the film. Film direction and production done by Sushant Bhat. Saumit Deshpande contributed as musician and cinematographer. Characters of the film are,
1) Astrologer: Prithvi Sancheti
2) Astrologer's Wife: Sukanya Bhatt
3)Customer 1: Sidhant Pawar
4)Landlord: Ashish
Here are descriptive answers of all the questions assigned as a task.
1} How faithful is the movie to the original short story?
Movie is quite faithful to original short story, it is very helpful to understand storyline.Themes and sounds are well maintained.but somehow movie is made for audience so it must be made as interesting as audience wanted it to be. And to make it interesting filmmaker made several changes which is not there in original story.
In original story writer described The market so well and crowded.also in story it is mentioned that so many shopes are there and a beautiful description of place where Astrologer sit everyday. For example three name of shopes are given in story, " Bombay Ice-Cream "Delhi Almond," " Raja's Delicacy," where in Movie we don't find name of any shop or even any shope nearby. We just have one person selling Groundnut. Groundnut is also mentioned in story. Description of lighting is also detailed in story where in movie lighting is not so significant. In story we find lighting description like,
"The place was lit up by shop lights. "
"One or two had hissing gaslights,
some had naked flares stuck on poles, some were lit up by old cycle lamps, and
one or two, like the astrologer's, managed without lights of their own."
Where in movie we don't have this much lights but have some like street light, flare light, and light of vehicles.
2) second major change we find is in movie name of Astrologer's wife and daughter is given but in story it is not given. Not even gender of Astrologer's child are mentioned.In movie we have name of Astrologer's wife Usha and also gender of his child is prescribed as a girl named Chutki.
3) Astrologer's outfit is also described different in movie and story.In story Astrologer wear saffron turban where in movie he Doesn't wear that.
4) In story they use "Anna" as a currency, but in movie they use Rupees as a currency.
Excepting this several changes movie is very faithful to story.
2} After watching the movie, have your perception about the short story, characters or situations changed?
Yes, movie help me to understand the story more clearly. And also give clearcut idea that what story actually wants to portray or say. For example while reading story we find that something will happened when guru Nayak and an Astrologer met and that's why Astrologer suddenly started neglecting to deal with Guru Nayak. But we don't know what was it. But in movie, that empty space was filled by putting beautiful scene in which Astrologer see face of Guru Nayak in a Light of cigarette.
Also in movie flashback is interestingly shown. It is a black and white sequence which is easy yo understand while in story it become little complex.
3} Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?
No i don't feel aesthetic delight while watching the movie, because one can only feel aesthetic delight if he/she find something great or we can say something that mesmerize. But here there is nothing like that. But i must make a point that, while watching the movie, at the end when Astrologer reveal his past front of his wife, and regret for what he did in past, that scene gives auspicious feeling.
4} Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the short story?
Yes, screening of movie help me in better understanding of the short story, it helps to understand silence and pause, which not possible to understand by reading story. Also lighting, sound and camera language is very useful in better understanding of story.
5} Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the short story?
In movie when Guru Nayak and Astrologer met and Astrologer found the face of Guru nayak in light of cigarette, that was the perfect scene according to me. It was like suspense in the movie.
6} If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of the movie based on the short story “An Astrologer’s Day” by R.K.Narayan?
I would like to change setting and sound in movie. It should be better than it is in the movie.
I hope my blog will be helpful to you and easy to understand. Thank you!
