ANALYSE Doris Lessing's A WOMAN ON A ROOF IN LIGHT OF STRUCTURALISM.
Structuralism concentrates on elements within work of literature without focusing on historical, social and biographical influences. The term structuralism' contains the crucial word structure', which refers to the units that make meanings. In the 20th century, structuralism is used as an important theory and in different contexts in a number of disciplines. Analyzing the extract from A Woman on a Roof in light of Structuralism is very interesting indeed as multiple levels of meanings emerge to make the text denser, while also facilitating interpretation. This extract gives the reader an insight on how some men view women. Indeed, this extract, though to be analysed from a Structuralist point of view, is very much impregnated with the idea of feminism where the woman acts as if she has managed to escape the mindless need to entertain men. The woman on the roof does not offer one invitation for comment or attention, yet those men feel she has. By being caught by their eyes was invitation enough, yet the woman ignores the men no matter what:.
"They whistled and shouted but the legs did not move."".
Thus, the woman wins as the symbol of a new age woman who disdains harassment from men.
Structuralism is interested in form rather than in content. In other words, it is interested in that which makes meanings possible rather than meaning itself. For instance, it is not necessarily concerned by the actual story of the text but rather in devices which provide meanings, like characters, plot and various literary techniques. In the extract from A Woman on a Roof the conversational device is thus used to provide the reader with a better insight upon the characters. Rather than making blunt statements on them, conversation is used. Their particular way of talking offers a direct view on them. In the following conversation, for instance,.
Due to the overwhelming caseloads processed through the court system, the needs of the offender for additional treatment (i.e., drug addiction, mental illness, alcohol abuse) find themselves incarcerated in an already overcrowded jail or prison with little or no treatment programs to address their i...