A CONCEPTUAL PAPER ON BINARY OPPOSITIONS IN THOMAS WOLFE’S NOVELS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v6i5.761Keywords:
binary oppositions, deconstruction, structuralism, Thomas Wolfe’s novelsAbstract
This study aims to examine the concept of binary oppositions in Thomas Wolfe’s novels. Specifically, it seeks to identify the types of binary oppositions that appear in Wolfe’s fiction, explore how these oppositions are constructed and represented, and analyze their functions or purposes in relation to the novels’ themes, characters, characterization, imagery, and overall narrative structure. The research adopts a qualitative approach, employing textual analysis grounded in the theoretical frameworks of structuralism and deconstruction. More precisely, the study integrates Greimas’s structuralist model, focusing on the deep narrative structures underlying meaning, with Derrida’s deconstructionist perspective, which questions and destabilizes hierarchical oppositions within texts. By combining these complementary methods, the study intends to provide a comprehensive understanding of how binary oppositions operate in Wolfe’s works. First, through structuralist analysis, it identifies the core oppositional relationships that organize Wolfe’s narrative structure; then, from a deconstructive perspective, it questions and dissolves these established oppositions, ultimately revealing the fluid nature of meaning-making. The expected findings suggest that both deep and marginal meanings will emerge through the analysis of these oppositions, revealing the complexity and richness of Wolfe’s literary universe. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to the existing body of scholarship on Thomas Wolfe by offering new theoretical insights and interpretive perspectives that highlight the intricate interplay between structure, language, and meaning in his novels.
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