Bricolage in Literature & Literary Theory

Etymology of Bricolage

The word “bricolage” has its origins in the French language. It comes from the verb “bricoler,” which means “to tinker” or “to putter around.” The term “bricolage” itself was first introduced by the French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss in the mid-20th century. In the context of anthropology, Lévi-Strauss used “bricolage” to describe the way in which traditional societies and cultures create new objects or solutions by using whatever materials or resources are readily available to them.

With time, the term has been adopted in various fields, including literature and art, to refer to the practice of creating something new through a combination of diverse and often improvised elements or techniques.

Meanings of Bricolage

Aspect	Meaning
Resourceful Creativity	Creating something new using available resources in an improvised manner.
Collage of Elements	Assembling diverse elements from various sources to construct a new narrative.
Intertextuality	Referencing and weaving ideas, symbols, or motifs from existing texts into a new work.
Deconstruction and Reconstruction	Breaking down conventional structures and reconstructing them innovatively.
Postmodern Expression	Blurring boundaries, remixing fragments, and reflecting contemporary complexity.
Multiplicity of Interpretations	Allowing for multiple reader-generated meanings and interpretations.
Hybridization	Blending genres, forms, or styles to create unique, uncategorizable literary forms.
Cultural Commentary	Reflecting modern life’s interconnectedness and challenging traditional norms.
Subversion of Hierarchies	Challenging established narratives and amplifying diverse voices and perspectives.

Definition of Bricolage as a Theoretical Term

Bricolage, as a theoretical term, refers to a creative process in which individuals or artists construct new ideas, concepts, or works by repurposing and combining diverse and often unrelated elements, materials, or sources.

This approach emphasizes resourceful improvisation and the utilization of available resources to generate innovative and unconventional outcomes. It challenges traditional structures and paradigms, reflecting a postmodern sensibility that values multiplicity, intertextuality, and the blurring of boundaries in the creation of meaning and artistic expression.

Bricolage: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Theorist	Work	Argument
Claude Lévi-Strauss	The Savage Mind	Introduced bricolage in anthropology, highlighting its role in traditional societies for constructing objects from available resources.
Roland Barthes	S/Z	Applied bricolage to semiotics and literature, emphasizing that authors construct meaning by combining signs and symbols from various sources.
Michel de Certeau	The Practice of Everyday Life	Explored bricolage in everyday practices, suggesting individuals navigate modern life by creatively assembling cultural fragments.
Jean-François Lyotard	The Postmodern Condition	Associated bricolage with postmodernism, highlighting its role in challenging grand narratives and traditional hierarchies, emphasizing a fragmented worldview.
Homi K. Bhabha	The Location of Culture	Applied bricolage to postcolonial theory, arguing colonized peoples use it to negotiate and subvert dominant colonial narratives and identities.
Julia Kristeva	Revolution in Poetic Language	Explored the interplay of bricolage and language, emphasizing how it contributes to poetic expression and disrupts fixed meaning.

Bricolage and Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance to Bricolage
Reader-Response Theory	It emphasizes reader’s role in creating meaning, aligning with it to focus on individual interpretation and creativity.
Poststructuralism	It challenges fixed meanings and hierarchies, akin to bricolage’s disruption of conventional structures and multiplicity of interpretations.
Intertextuality	It eplores how texts reference others, aligning with bricolage’s weaving of diverse elements from various sources into new narratives.
Feminist Theory	It critiques gender norms, akin to its deconstruction and reconstruction of elements to challenge established norms.
Postcolonial Theory	It examines colonial impact, aligning with bricolage’s role in postcolonial contexts where marginalized voices reconstruct narratives.
Deconstruction	It questions fixed meanings, resonating with bricolage’s practice of breaking down and reassembling elements unconventionally.
Cultural Studies	It eplores cultural construction, aligning with bricolage’s focus on creative culture construction through assembling diverse elements.
New Historicism	It examines literature’s historical context, akin to bricolage reflecting contemporary culture’s complexity shaped by diverse influences.
Psychoanalytic Theory	It explores subconscious motivations, resonating with bricolage’s emphasis on creative, sometimes unconscious, meaning construction.

Bricolage in Literary Criticism

1. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (2010):
   • Bricolage Element: This novel features a form of bricolage through its non-linear narrative structure and diverse narrative techniques.
   • Explanation: Egan’s novel employs a fragmented narrative that combines various storytelling approaches, including traditional prose, PowerPoint slides, and a fictional celebrity interview. This bricolage approach reflects the postmodern theoretical perspective, emphasizing the multiplicity of perspectives and the deconstruction of linear narratives.
2. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (2000):
   • Bricolage Element: The novel showcases bricolage through its innovative use of typography, footnotes, and narrative layers.
   • Explanation: House of Leaves is a prime example of poststructuralist bricolage. It challenges fixed meanings and narrative conventions by using unconventional typography and layout to mirror the protagonist’s descent into madness. The text itself becomes a labyrinth, reflecting the narrative’s themes of disorientation and uncertainty.
3. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (2004):
   • Bricolage Element: The novel weaves together multiple narratives set in different time periods and styles.
   • Explanation: Mitchell’s use of bricolage aligns with the postmodern perspective. He combines diverse narratives, genres, and styles to create a larger thematic tapestry. This approach encourages readers to make connections across time and space, emphasizing the intertextual nature of storytelling.
4. S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst (2013):
   • Bricolage Element: The novel takes the form of a physical book with two parallel narratives—one in the book’s printed text and the other in handwritten notes and annotations.
   • Explanation: S. is a postmodern bricolage that challenges the boundaries between authorship, interpretation, and reader engagement. The dual narratives invite readers to actively participate in the construction of meaning within the text, echoing the principles of reader-response theory.
5. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017):
   • Bricolage Element: The novel combines historical accounts, primary sources, and fictionalized dialogues to create a chorus of voices.
   • Explanation: Saunders’ use of bricolage aligns with a postcolonial perspective, as it involves the reinterpretation and reconstruction of historical accounts. By blending real historical sources with fictional voices, Saunders challenges traditional historical narratives and highlights the multiplicity of perspectives.

These examples illustrate how bricolage in literature can align with various theoretical perspectives, including postmodernism, poststructuralism, reader-response theory, and postcolonialism, to create innovative and thought-provoking narratives.

Suggested Readings

1. Derrida, Jacques. Of Grammatology. Translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.
2. Barthes, Roland. S/Z: An Essay. Translated by Richard Miller, Hill and Wang, 1974.
3. Kristeva, Julia. Revolution in Poetic Language. Translated by Margaret Waller, Columbia University Press, 1984.
4. Levi-Strauss, Claude. The Savage Mind. University of Chicago Press, 1966.
5. Danielewski, Mark Z. House of Leaves. Pantheon, 2000.
6. Mitchell, David. Cloud Atlas. Random House, 2004.
7. Abrams, J.J. and Doug Dorst. S. Mulholland Books, 2013.
8. Saunders, George. Lincoln in the Bardo. Random House, 2017.