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Abstract/Abstraction in Literary Theory

In literary theory, abstraction refers to the conceptual interpretation of literary works beyond their surface narratives.

Etymology of Abstract/ Abstraction

The term “abstract” and its derivative “abstraction” find their roots in the Latin word “abstrahere.” It means “to pull away” or “to draw away.”

This etymological origin reflects the fundamental concept underlying these words, which pertains to the act of isolating or extracting essential qualities, ideas, or concepts from a larger, complex whole.

Meanings

Abstract:

Summary or Summary Art: An abbreviated representation that captures essential qualities or features, often devoid of specific details or context.
Theoretical Concept: A conceptual or theoretical idea, separate from physical existence or concrete reality.
Summary of a Document: A concise overview of a longer written work, highlighting its key points.
Thought Process: The act of thinking in terms of general principles or concepts rather than specific instances.

Abstraction:

Conceptual Simplification: The process of simplifying complex ideas or objects by focusing on their essential characteristics or properties.
Artistic Expression: A style of art that emphasizes non-representational or non-objective forms, often using geometric shapes, colors, and patterns to convey emotions or ideas.
Computer Science: The technique of hiding complex implementation details while exposing only necessary functionalities in software development.
Philosophical Notion: The idea of considering objects, concepts, or phenomena in a conceptual or general manner, as opposed to their specific, concrete manifestations.

Theoretical Concept in Literary Theory:

Conceptual Interpretation: In literary theory, abstraction refers to the conceptual interpretation of literary works beyond their surface narratives. It involves the analysis of underlying themes, ideas, and symbolic representations that transcend the literal content.
Deconstruction of Texts: Literary abstraction often involves deconstructing texts to uncover hidden meanings, subtext, and broader philosophical or cultural implications. It encourages readers to delve into the text’s abstract layers of interpretation.
Exploration of Universal Themes: Abstraction in literary theory allows scholars to explore universal themes, such as love, mortality, and identity, that recur across various texts and time periods, leading to a deeper understanding of human experience.
Engagement with Literary Criticism: The theoretical concept of abstraction plays a pivotal role in literary criticism, providing scholars with the tools to analyze literature on a more profound and abstract level, ultimately contributing to the development of critical perspectives and literary discourse.

Abstraction in Different Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relationship with Cocept
New Criticism	Emphasizes abstract reading by looking for underlying themes and motifs in texts. New Criticism encourages readers to analyze literature by examining its elements that tie a work together, such as recurring themes, symbolism, and motifs. It focuses on the text itself, seeking abstract meaning beyond surface details.
Structuralism	Focuses on abstract analysis by identifying recurring patterns and structures. Structuralism delves into its structures that shape meaning in literature. It seeks to uncover abstract elements like narrative or linguistic patterns, binary oppositions, and recurring motifs to decipher deeper layers of meaning within texts.
Postcolonialism	Involves abstract analysis of larger issues such as power dynamics and cultural identity. Postcolonialism engages in its analysis by exploring broader societal and cultural concepts. It examines abstract themes like power dynamics, cultural identity, and the legacy of colonialism across various texts and historical periods.
Feminist Theory	Abstract analysis includes examining gender representation and language use. Feminist Theory takes this approach by scrutinizing how literature represents and reinforces gender roles and stereotypes. It also considers abstract elements like language and rhetoric in shaping and challenging traditional gender norms.
Queer Theory	Abstract analysis involves considering identity, representation, and desire politics. Queer Theory adopts this perspective to examine the construction and representation of sexuality and gender identity in literature. It explores abstract questions surrounding identity, representation, and the politics of desire.
Psychoanalytic Theory	Involves abstract analysis of recurring symbols related to unconscious desires. Psychoanalytic Theory conducts abstract analysis by identifying recurring symbols, themes, and psychological elements that reflect unconscious desires and motivations in literary texts.
Marxism	Abstract analysis examines class struggle, labor relations, and ideological impact. Marxism employs abstract analysis to investigate larger socio-economic structures within literature. It explores abstract concepts like class struggle, labor relations, and the role of ideology in shaping cultural production.
Reader-Response Theory	Abstract analysis considers the nature of reading and the role of the reader. Reader-Response Theory takes an abstract stance by exploring abstract concepts like the nature of reading, the reader’s interpretation, and the interactive relationship between the reader and the text.
Postmodernism	Abstract analysis explores the nature of truth, authorship, and language-reality links. Postmodernism challenges traditional forms of representation and meaning-making, leading to abstract inquiries into the nature of truth, authorship, and the intricate relationship between language and reality.
Ecocriticism	Abstract analysis addresses human-nature relationships and environmental ethics. Ecocriticism adopts an abstract viewpoint by examining the abstract questions related to human-nature interactions, environmental degradation, and the ethical dimensions of environmentalism within literature.
Cognitive Literary Studies	Involves abstract analysis of cognitive processes, metaphors, and language-thought connections. Cognitive Literary Studies engage in abstract analysis by exploring abstract aspects of cognition, the role of metaphor and imagery, and the interplay between language and thought in literature.

Different Theorists on Abstract/Abstraction

Plato (c. 428/427–348/347 BCE)

Works: The Republic (c. 380 BCE)
Contribution: Plato explored these philosophical concepts, including the theory of Forms, which posits it, ideal forms exist beyond the material world and are more real than the physical manifestations.

Immanuel Kant (1724–1804)

Works: Critique of Pure Reason (1781)
Contribution: Kant delved into the these realms of metaphysics and epistemology, emphasizing the role of abstract concepts and categories in human understanding and the limits of abstraction in knowledge.

Ferdinand de Saussure (1857–1913)

Works: Course in General Linguistics (1916)
Contribution: Saussure pioneered structuralism and semiotics, emphasizing the abstraction of linguistic signs and their structural relationships in the study of language and meaning.

Piet Mondrian (1872–1944)

Works: Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow (1930)
Contribution: Mondrian was a prominent these artist associated with De Stijl movement, known for his abstraction of art into geometric forms and primary colors, exploring the idea of pure abstraction.

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980)

Works: Being and Nothingness (1943)
Contribution: Sartre’s existentialist philosophy delves into the abstract concepts of existence, freedom, and consciousness, emphasizing the individual’s responsibility in creating meaning in an inherently abstract world.

Jacques Derrida (1930–2004)

Works: Of Grammatology (1967)
Contribution: Derrida is a key figure in deconstructionism, challenging the abstraction of language and text, and highlighting the inherent ambiguity and instability of meaning in written and spoken words.

Richard Rorty (1931–2007)

Works: Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (1979)
Contribution: Rorty engaged with the abstract nature of language and pragmatism, arguing that philosophy should move away from such foundationalism and focus on conversation and practice.

Michel Foucault (1926–1984)

Works: The Order of Things (1966)
Contribution: Foucault’s works often examined the abstract structures of knowledge and power, emphasizing how such categories and classifications shape societal understanding.

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951)

Works: Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921)
Contribution: Wittgenstein explored these concepts in philosophy of language and logic, emphasizing the limitations of language and the importance of precise linguistic analysis.

Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947)

Works: “Process and Reality” (1929)
Contribution: Whitehead delved into abstract metaphysical concepts, such as process philosophy, emphasizing the interconnectedness of abstract ideas and the dynamic nature of reality.

These theorists have made significant contributions to the understanding of these concepts and abstraction in various fields, including philosophy, art, linguistics, and literature.

Examples of “Abstraction” in Literature

Reference	Explanation
“The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot	Eliot’s poem is replete with sucg language and cultural allusions that demand a profound grasp of literary and historical context. For instance, the opening line, “April is the cruellest month,” is an abstract statement setting the poem’s tone through abstraction.
“Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett	Beckett’s play is often interpreted as an abstraction of the human condition. Its characters endlessly await resolution or salvation that remains elusive. The play’s abundant ambiguous, abstract language resists easy interpretation.
*The Sound and the Fury* by William Faulkner	Faulkner’s novel uses as fragmented narrative structure with multiple narrators and perspectives, portraying a Southern family’s decline. Its stream-of-consciousness style creates a potent sense of psychological abstraction.
*To the Lighthouse* by Virginia Woolf	Woolf’s novel, known for its stream-of-consciousness style, presents an abstract portrayal of characters’ inner lives. Its manipulation of time and memory adds to the sense of abstraction within the narrative.
“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot	This poem exemplifies Eliot’s style, characterized by fragmented, allusive language and exploration of themes like alienation and mortality. Persona and symbolism usage contribute to its abstraction.
“The Trial” by Franz Kafka	Kafka’s novel is a pinnacle of abstraction, depicting a faceless, bureaucratic system ensnaring its protagonist in an unending cycle of guilt and punishment. Abstract, allegorical means examine themes of power and control.
“The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot	Eliot’s poem is another instance, allusive style, exploring themes of death and spiritual emptiness. Its use of imagery and symbolism enhances abstraction, alongside its haunting, apocalyptic tone.

These references showcase how various works of literature employ abstraction to convey complex themes, emotions, and ideas, often through abstract language, fragmented narratives, and challenging interpretations.

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Abject/Abjection in Literary Theory

The term is often used in the context of psychoanalytic theory, where it refers to a state of being cast out or rejected by society, leading to feelings of disgust, shame, and powerlessness.

Etymology of Abject/Abjection

The word “abject” comes from the Latin word “abiectus”, which means “thrown away, cast off, or degraded.” The prefix “ab-” means “away from” or “off,” while the root “iectus” means “thrown.” The word “abject” first appeared in English in the late 14th century. It was used to describe someone cast off or rejected from society often due to poverty or illness.

The related term “abjection” comes from the Latin word “abjectio,” which means an act of “throwing away” or “a rejection.”

In English, “abjection” first appeared in the early 16th century to describe a state of extreme humiliation or degradation.

Usage of Abject/Abjection

The term is often used in the context of psychoanalytic theory, where it refers to a state of being cast out or rejected by society, leading to feelings of disgust, shame, and powerlessness.

Both “abject” and “abjection” are used to describe situations or individuals that are low, degraded, or cast off from society. They can also be used to describe a feeling of extreme disgust or revulsion. The words have been used extensively in literature and philosophy, particularly in the works of theorists such as Julia Kristeva and Jacques Lacan.

Meaning of Abject/Abjection

Aspect	Description
Definition	In literature and literary theory, “abject” and “abjection” refer to a state of being or a subject matter that is considered low, degraded, or disgusting.
Examples	This can include physical objects or substances associated with bodily waste or decay, as well as individuals who have been cast off or rejected from society.
Literary Exploration	The concept of the abject is often used in literature to explore the boundaries of human experience and the limits of social norms.
Psychoanalytic Connection	In literary theory, the concept of the abject is closely tied to psychoanalytic theory, particularly the work of French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan.
Lacan’s Perspective	According to Lacan, the abject represents a state of being that is outside of the symbolic order of language and social norms, and is therefore terrifying and repulsive to us.
Limitations of Language	The abject can be seen as a way of exploring the limits of language and representation, and understanding how our social and cultural constructions can both create and limit our experiences of the world.
Feminist Contribution	The concept of the abject has been widely used in literary and cultural studies, especially in the work of feminist theorists such as Julia Kristeva.

Origin of Abject/Abjection

Origin: The term “abject” and “abjection” come from the Latin word “abjectus,” which means “thrown away” or “cast out.”
First usage: The first usage of “abject” in English was in the 15th century, meaning “cast out or rejected.”
Theoretical usage: The theoretical usage of “abjection” was first developed by French philosopher Julia Kristeva in her 1980 book Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. She quotes Victor Hugo;

No Beast is there without glimmer of infinity,

No eye so vile nor abject that brushes not

Against lightning from on high, now tender, now fierce.

Victor Hugo, La Legende des siecles

Explanation: According to Kristeva, “abjection” refers to the state of being cast out or rejected from the symbolic order, which is the realm of language, culture, and meaning. The abject is that which is excluded from the symbolic order and is therefore seen as impure or threatening to the boundaries of the self. Examples of abject objects or experiences include bodily waste, death, and the maternal body. She explains saying “Food loathing is perhaps the most elementary and most archaic form of abjection.”

Explanation Abject /Abjection

Abject refers to a state of being or subject matter that is considered low, degraded, or disgusting.
Abjection is the process of casting off or rejecting something from society or culture.
The concept of the abject is closely tied to psychoanalytic theory, particularly the work of Jacques Lacan and Julia Kristeva.
The abject represents a state of being that is outside of the symbolic order of language and social norms.
The abject is a necessary part of human experience, as it allows us to define ourselves and our social norms by excluding that which is seen as unacceptable.
The abject has been used in literary and cultural studies to explore a variety of phenomena, including the relationship between the body and society, the construction of identity, and the politics of exclusion and marginalization.
The abject has also been used in postcolonial theory and queer theory to explore the ways in which marginalized groups are cast off and rejected by society.
Overall, the concept of the abject helps us understand the ways in which societies define themselves by excluding that which is seen as other or unacceptable.

Relationship of Aetiology and Abject/Abjection

Aspect	Aetiology	Abject/Abjection
Exploration	Investigates origins and causes.	Deals with societal rejection and degradation.
Factors	Uncovers contributing factors.	Reveals why things are considered repulsive.
Context	Considers cultural and historical context.	Explains how context shapes what’s abject.
Factor Interplay	Recognizes multiple factors at play.	Acknowledges societal, psychological, and symbolic influences.
Causality Analysis	Involves deep causal analysis.	Probes complex reasons behind abjection.
Comprehensive Understanding	Provides a holistic understanding.	Offers insights into marginalization and repugnance.
Holistic Perspective	Takes a holistic view of development.	Provides a holistic understanding of abjection’s dimensions.

Theorists on Abject/Abjection

Theorist	Dates	Key Concepts and Contributions
Julia Kristeva	1941-present	– Introduced the concept of abjection in “Powers of Horror” (1980). – Explored abjection as a psychological state resulting from boundary breakdown between self and other. – Analyzed societal rejection and marginalization related to abjection.
Jacques Lacan	1901-1981	– Foundational in psychoanalytic theories underpinning the understanding of abjection. – Argued that the abject exists outside the symbolic order, eliciting fear and repulsion.
Kristeva’s Semiotic Theory		– Kristeva’s semiotic theory, precursor to abjection, focuses on pre-linguistic, bodily experiences of meaning. – Informs her exploration of the abject disrupting linguistic and social norms.
Gayle Rubin	1949-present	– Incorporates abjection in her work on the “Sexual Politics of Meat” (1980). – Explores links between the abjection of women and animals, highlighting gender and abjection intersections.
Judith Butler	1956-present	– While not primarily an abjection theorist, Butler’s performativity and gender identity work intersects with abjection. – Influences understanding of how abject identities are constructed and challenged.
Teresa Brennan	1952-2003	– Explored abjection and affect transfer in “The Transmission of Affect” (2004). – Connects abjection to emotional states and interpersonal relationships.
Hélène Cixous	1937-present	– Cixous’ feminist theories, including “writing the body,” intersect with abjection. – Explores how women’s writing challenges societal norms, including those tied to abjection.

Examples of Abject /Abjection in Literature

The character of Gregor Samsa in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is a classic example of abjection in literature. After waking up one morning to find that he has been transformed into a giant insect, Gregor is cast off by his family and becomes increasingly isolated and degraded. His physical transformation represents a symbolic rejection of his identity and place in society, and his eventual death represents the ultimate abjection.
William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury explores the theme of abjection through the character of Benjy Compson, a mentally disabled man who is often cast off and ignored by his family. Benjy’s inability to communicate effectively or understand the social norms of his community makes him an outcast, and his struggles to connect with others are a powerful example of the ways in which abjection can lead to isolation and loneliness.
In Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” the characters Vladimir and Estragon are trapped in a cycle of abjection and degradation, as they wait endlessly for a mysterious figure who may never arrive. Their physical and emotional deterioration represents a rejection of the human need for meaning and purpose, and their eventual acceptance of their own abjection is a powerful commentary on the human condition.
Tennessee Williams’ play “A Streetcar Named Desire” explores the theme of abjection through the character of Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle who is rejected and cast off by her family and society. Blanche’s descent into madness and isolation is a powerful example of the ways in which societal expectations and norms can lead to the rejection and marginalization of individuals.
The character of Gollum in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings represents a powerful example of abjection in literature. Gollum is a former hobbit who has been transformed by the power of the ring, and his physical and emotional degradation represents a rejection of his former identity and a descent into darkness and isolation. His struggle to reclaim his former self and connect with others is a powerful example of the human need for connection and belonging.

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