Habitus in Literature & Literary Theory

Etymology of Habitus

The term “habitus” originates from Latin, where it originally meant “condition” or “state of being.” In its academic usage, especially in the field of sociology and cultural studies, the concept of “habitus” was developed and popularized by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu in the mid-20th century.

Bourdieu adapted the term to describe the ingrained and socially acquired dispositions, behaviors and tastes that individuals develop through their life experiences and social interactions, shaping their cultural preferences and social practices.

In this context, it serves as a foundational concept for understanding how social structures and individual agency intersect to produce patterns of behavior, belief, and identity.

Meanings of Habitus

Aspect	Meaning
Character Development	It is used to analyze the development of literary characters and their behavior. It explores how characters’ backgrounds, social contexts, and life experiences shape their dispositions and actions within the narrative.
Cultural Context	Literary works often depict characters embedded in specific cultural contexts. It allows for the examination of how characters’ cultural backgrounds and social milieus influence their perceptions, values, and responses to situations.
Social Class and Identity	It is relevant for exploring issues of social class and identity in literature. It helps in understanding how characters’ habitus, shaped by their socioeconomic backgrounds, affect their interactions, aspirations, and self-perception.
Symbolism and Representation	This concept is applied to the analysis of symbols and metaphors in literature, revealing deeper layers of meaning related to characters’ social conditioning and personal histories.
Authorial Voice	Authors often infuse elements of their own habitus into their works, influencing the narrative’s perspective and the portrayal of characters and settings. Analyzing habitus sheds light on the author’s biases and perspectives.
Literary Realism	In realist literature, the concept of habitus is integral to creating authentic and relatable characters. Authors aim to depict characters whose behaviors and choices align with their established habitus, contributing to the authenticity of the narrative.
Character Agency and Transformation	It is also used to explore how characters challenge or transform their established dispositions and habits over the course of a narrative, illustrating their agency and potential for change.
Cultural Critique	In postcolonial, feminist, and critical race theories, the concept of habitus serves as a tool for critiquing and deconstructing dominant cultural norms and biases embedded in literary works.

Definition of Habitus as a Theoretical Term

Habitus, as a theoretical term, refers to the set of ingrained dispositions, behaviors, and cultural norms that individuals acquire through socialization and their life experiences.

It encompasses the subconscious and taken-for-granted ways in which individuals perceive, react to, and engage with the world, reflecting their social backgrounds and environments. Developed by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, the concept of habitus is instrumental in understanding how social structures and individual agency interact to produce patterns of behavior, belief, and identity within a given society.

Habitus: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Theorists:

• Pierre Bourdieu: Pierre Bourdieu, a prominent French sociologist, is the foremost theorist associated with this concept. His extensive body of work, including Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste and Outline of a Theory of Practice serves as the foundational framework for understanding habitus.

Key Works:

• Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste (1979): In this seminal work, Bourdieu investigates how habitus influences cultural preferences, taste, and social distinctions. It offers critical insights into the role of habitus in perpetuating social inequalities and class distinctions.
• Outline of a Theory of Practice (1972): This foundational book outlines Bourdieu’s theoretical framework of habitus, emphasizing its role in shaping individuals’ practices and behaviors across various social fields.

Arguments:

• Reproduction of Social Structures: Bourdieu’s central argument revolves around how habitus contributes to the reproduction of social structures. He contends that individuals from different social backgrounds internalize distinct habitus, perpetuating social hierarchies and class distinctions.
• Embodied Culture: Bourdieu asserts that habitus embodies culture, encompassing the tacit knowledge, dispositions, and practices that individuals inherit from their social milieu. This embodied culture significantly influences how people engage with the world and make choices.
• Structural Constraints: It’s essential to recognize that habitus is not entirely autonomous; it operates within structural constraints and opportunities. Bourdieu argues that individuals’ habitus both reflects and reacts to the broader social, economic, and cultural contexts in which they live.

These theorists, works, and arguments collectively form the foundation of the concept of habitus, offering profound insights into how social structures, cultural dispositions, and individual agency intersect to shape human behavior and identity.

Habitus and Literary Theories

Theory	Relevance	Examples in Literature Works
Cultural Studies	Cultural studies scholars use it to analyze how characters’ backgrounds and social conditioning influence their behavior and choices. It aids in understanding how characters embody cultural norms and navigate cultural conflicts within literary works.	– In Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, characters’ cultural backgrounds significantly influence their actions and decisions, reflecting the impact of habitus.
Postcolonial Theory	It is pertinent in postcolonial literature, where characters often grapple with the impact of colonialism on their identities. It allows for the examination of how colonial history and cultural conditioning shape characters’ perceptions and actions.	– In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the protagonist’s habitus is shaped by pre-colonial Igbo culture, which later clashes with colonial influences.
Feminist Theory	Feminist literary analysis frequently incorporates it to explore how women’s identities are constructed and constrained by societal norms. It sheds light on the ways in which female characters negotiate and resist the expectations imposed upon them.	– In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the habitus of women in Gilead reflects the oppressive patriarchal society they inhabit.
Marxist Theory	In Marxist literary theory, it is relevant for understanding how characters’ socioeconomic backgrounds and class affiliations influence their roles and interactions within narratives. It contributes to the analysis of social hierarchies and class struggles depicted in literature.	– In Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, the habitus of characters like Pip reflects their class positions and social mobility.
Psychoanalytic Theory	Psychoanalytic readings often consider habitus in conjunction with characters’ inner conflicts and psychological motivations. It helps in unraveling the psychological dimensions of characters’ behaviors and choices.	– In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the habitus of Jay Gatsby is explored in relation to his unrequited love for Daisy Buchanan.
Identity Studies	Habitual analysis is crucial in identity studies within literary theory. It assists in examining how characters construct, negotiate, and sometimes transcend their identities, whether related to race, gender, sexuality, or other aspects.	– In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, the habitus of Sethe and her family is central to the exploration of the impact of slavery on their identities.
Realism and Naturalism	In realist and naturalist literature, habitus plays a fundamental role in creating authentic and believable characters. Authors aim to depict characters whose actions align with their established social backgrounds, enhancing the authenticity of the narrative.	– In Emile Zola’s Germinal, the habitus of coal miners is vividly portrayed, contributing to the novel’s realistic depiction of their lives.
Narrative Theory	Habitual considerations are relevant to narrative theory, as they contribute to the understanding of character development and transformation over the course of a narrative. It sheds light on the intricate relationship between characters’ dispositions and their evolving roles within a story.	– In Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, the habitus of the titular character evolves as she matures and faces various challenges.

Habitus in Literary Criticism

1. The Nickel Boysby Colson Whitehead (2019):
   • In this novel, it can be employed to understand the contrasting experiences of the two main characters, Elwood and Turner, as they navigate a racially segregated society in the 1960s.
   • Elwood’s it is deeply influenced by his idealism and belief in justice, rooted in his upbringing. His adherence to these values leads him into conflict with the oppressive system.
   • Turner, on the other hand, has a more pragmatic habitus shaped by his survival instincts. His choices are influenced by a different set of values, reflecting the impact of his own upbringing and experiences.
   • By applying habitus to these characters, the novel explores how individual dispositions interact with external circumstances and societal structures.
2. Such a Fun Ageby Kiley Reid (2019):
   • In this contemporary novel, it can be used to analyze the complexities of race, class, and identity within the lives of the characters.
   • The protagonist, Emira, navigates a world where her habitus as a young Black woman clashes with the expectations and stereotypes imposed on her by her employer and society.
   • Emira’s habitus is shaped by her own aspirations and values, which often come into conflict with the habitus of those around her.
   • The novel sheds light on how habitus influences interactions and perceptions in a modern, racially charged environment.
3. The Vanishing Halfby Brit Bennett (2020):
   • In this novel, habitus can be applied to the characters of Stella and Desiree, twin sisters who take divergent paths in life.
   • Stella’s habitus leads her to pass as white, concealing her racial identity to escape the limitations placed on Black individuals during the 1950s.
   • Desiree’s habitus, on the other hand, is rooted in her pride in her racial identity and her determination to embrace it.
   • The novel explores how habitus shapes the choices and trajectories of these sisters, leading to vastly different lives and identities.
4. Leave the World Behindby Rumaan Alam (2020):
   • In this contemporary novel, habitus can be used to analyze the interactions and tensions between two families who come from different socio-economic backgrounds.
   • The novel explores how the habitus of the urban, affluent family clashes with the rural, working-class lifestyle of the homeowners.
   • The characters’ behaviors and expectations are influenced by their respective habitus, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts as they navigate an unexpected crisis together.
   • By examining the characters’ habitus, the novel delves into themes of class, race, and privilege in a tense and suspenseful narrative.

In these four contemporary novels, the application of it enhances the understanding of character motivations, choices, and conflicts within the context of societal structures and personal dispositions. It provides a valuable lens through which to analyze the complexities of human behavior and identity in the modern world.

Suggested Readings

1. Bourdieu, Pierre. Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Harvard University Press, 1984.
2. Butler, Judith. Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex. Routledge, 1993.
3. Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.
4. Jameson, Fredric. The Political Unconscious: Narrative as a Socially Symbolic Act. Cornell University Press, 1981.
5. Leitch, Vincent B. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.
6. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. Vintage, 1979.
7. Showalter, Elaine. A Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Bronte to Lessing. Princeton University Press, 1977.
8. Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. In Other Worlds: Essays in Cultural Politics. Routledge, 1987.
9. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One’s Own. Harcourt, 1929.
10. Zizek, Slavoj. The Sublime Object of Ideology. Verso, 1989.