Perspectives Lecture [6] 'The Derrida Virus'

Definitions

Normativity- The state of deriving from, enforcing, or relating to an established standard.

Fig. 1

Deconstruction- An outlook/method that sees existing meanings and 'truths' as unstable, momentarily hierarchical and reliant upon 'arbitrary' interpretation, the likes of which differ from person to person.

It exists as a critique on existing 'normative structures' present within an existing society.... there to bring discussion and questions to the seemingly 'concrete truths' that govern political and social views/actions.
Différence-  a French term coined by Jacques Derrida, that relates to the impossibility of continuing the existence between 2 (or more) alternative, overviewing, meanings/truths. Often we must assign signs to the realm of truth, so to work from that, and create a structure of values and morals to help us decide how to interpret (inwardly) and act (outwardly) towards alternative texts.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

An example would be W.E. Hill's (or originally, an anonymous German postcard, 1888), illustration: "My Wife and  My Mother in Law", published in 'Puck' magazine, 1915.
There's the 'truth' of the illustration depicting a 'young lady', and the 'truth' of it  depicting an 'old lady'.
There's also a third truth, wherein the text communicates a 'hybrid' between the two. The latter meaning the other two 'truths' are discredited, so to allow for it to 'work' in our minds as the concrete 'truth'.
Reinscribe- The act of re-establishing a belief/text according to newly introduced/changed normative rules, with the intention to reposition it in/as a "stronger form or context".
In relation to 'deconstruction', this it done once the ingrained structures of our society have been 'dismantled', to better see.
Cognitive Dissonance- The state of having incongruitious beliefs, and set attitudes in ones working cognition. Relating to deconstruction, this would be that act of 'flipping' between different 'truths' (some of which must be deemed incompatible, and ignored appropriately), and the fact we have this state of cognitive dissonance, and act the way we do, so as to function as humans.
Judith Butler- American philosopher and theorist, Judith Butler, is known predominately for her work into the ethics, and political/social views/standpoints regarding 'gender'.

Fig. 4

Gender is arguably seen as a 'normative' belief. A solid framework we, as a western society, use to categorise and approach those functioning within it.
Her work attempts to see 'gender' as socially constructed, (rather than innate), and functions to 'acceptively' oppress individuals who fall outside this framework (i.e. homosexuals, transgendered individuals etc.), evident in her work "Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity' (1990), and 'Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of 'Sex'' (1993).
This social construction is done by a "series of acts whose constant repetition creates the illusion" that an innate nature exists. However, individuals cannot "'choose' their genders" and alter them by acting a specific way.

Fig. 5

In fact, she argues that sex itself (male or female), is to some extent a performative social construct. There's definite line of distinction drawn between people at birth, or prior to, with "speech acts" like "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!", which, in turn, is repetitively performed to "impose a norm of sexual desire", from an "artificial association between biological sex and gender". In turn enforcing "a system of compulsory and naturalized heterosexuality".
Butler argues that sex isn't a "fact or static condition of a body", but rather a product of repetitive, forcible reiterations of existing "norms".

Thus 'sex' becomes fictitious, and only articulated or thought of using "linguistic norms". It becomes impossible to have direct access, when there is "no reference to a pure body". Instead this fiction is based on human subjectivity and culture, and is thus, a norm "subject to change".

Her work, therefore, aims to "expose the heterosexual matrix" and create discussion in cultural norms that people wouldn't otherwise question. 

'Funny Games (US Edition')

Fig. 6

Five ways 'Funny Games (US Edition)' is considered 'Post-modern':

1) Deconstruction
'Funny Games' reflects back on itself as a medium for entertainment, appropriating existing horror 'codes and conventions', but altering a specific aspect to snap audiences out of their immersion (i.e. prolonging scenes and moving the camera away from the main action), so they can 'read' from outside the text itself. Audiences can begin to question their expectations of the genre, something that links back into the original purpose of the film.
Michael Haneke was said to have created 'Funny Games' as a critique of audience desensitisation to mindless violence and gore- particularly in American media culture (wherein the film was appropriated with identical cinematography to the original, but with an American cast). The act of making this film is a form of deconstruction in of itself, wherein the package of the film/framework is spread out, and analysed from each of its 'rules'.

Fig. 7

'Funny Games' suggests initially a light hearted movie. The trailer suggests horror and gore. Audiences go into cinema with the expectation of the writers challenging these assumptions. However, they don't account for the writers then challenging our expectations that they'd be trying to trick them with genre disparities, by challenging our ideas around genre in the first place.
2)  Aware if itself
The fourth wall is broken on numerous occasions, again showing the 'texts' own awareness to itself, and as a means of breaking down it's purpose as a medium. Involving the viewers as characters, and participants of the fictitious murders makes us question our relation to the film itself.

Fig. 8

3) Intextualisation
Intertextualising existing expectations of 'serial killer' from alternative texts, and using these expectations to shocking effect. Our automatic ideas around 'white', 'youthful' and 'games' clash vividly against the violence, and twisted actions of Peter and Paul.
One second Peter is sobbing in frustration at being teased, the next second the prospect of torture cheers him up. Paul's friendly introduction, and handshake, after beating George with a golf club etc.
4) Hyper reality
While the film starts with plausible character, dialogue and plot (a family staying at their lake house for a holiday), with all the 'normality' of day-to-day life (cooking, cleaning, etc.), the film begins to take a turn for the unlikely when Paul and Peter enter the family picture. Even as far back as the driving sequence, Naked City's' 'Bonehead' blares out, distorting this picturesque 'reality' of a family outing. The character's reality, wherein the classical music is still playing (diegetic), contrasts against the non-diegetic metal track, whose unrelated 'truths' breaks the illusion of immersion almost immediately.
There's also the moment when Paul breaks the fourth wall, and rewinds the film- again providing a hyperreal scenario wherein death can be averted, and Peter and Paul remain 'gods' over the Farber family.
This impossibility draws attention to the mediums capability at providing alternative realities, that can be manipulated by the consumers wishes ("[talking to the viewers] You're on their side, aren't you? So, who will you bet with?").
5) Ambiguity
The film makes no ultimate attempt to wrap everything up. Instead the idea of mindless violence is key: overshadowing any character development (we're left in the dark about Peter and Paul's motives), or solution to the violence. The film ends instead with the two 'friendly neighbours', entering another home, with the unspoken knowledge that the events in the film will repeat again, with horrific brutality.
Referencing
Book
Derrida, Jacques (1963), 'Différence'. Translated from French by Alan Bass, (1982). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Websites

Batchelor, Rob (2011), 'Funny Games [1997] - Review', [Online]. Available at: http://roobla.com/film/review/2881/funny-games-1997/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
'Cambridge Dictionary', (No Date), 'Deconstruction', [Online]. Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/deconstruction [Accessed Date:  01/11/2017]
Dulgnan, Brian (2012-2015), 'Judith Butler', [Online]. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Judith-Butler [Accessed Date:  01/11/2017]
Felluga, Dino (2002), 'Modules on Butler I: on gender and sex', [Online]. Available at: https://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/genderandsex/modules/butlergendersex.html [Accessed Date:  01/11/2017]
Gauntlett, David (2008), 'Judth Butler', [Online]. Available at: http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-butl.htm [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Holland, Nancy J. (No Date), 'Deconstruction', [Online]. Available at: http://www.iep.utm.edu/deconst/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
'Merriam-Webster Editorial Team', (2017), 'Deconstruction', [Online]. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deconstruction [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
'Oxford Dictionary', (No Date), 'Différance', [Online]. Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/differance [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
'reddit', (2015), 'Can someone explain the purpose of the movie "Funny Games"?', [Online]. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/393sek/can_someone_explain_the_purpose_of_the_movie/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
'Shmoop Editorial Team', (2008), 'Deconstruction', [Online]. Available at: https://www.shmoop.com/deconstruction/ [Accessed Date:
01/11/2017]
'The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannia', (2017), 'Deconstruction | Criticism', [Online]. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/deconstruction [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
'Today', (2008), 'The joke's on the audience in 'Funny Games', [Online]. Available at: https://www.today.com/popculture/joke-s-audience-funny-games-wbna23579258 [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Watkin, Christopher (2017), 'Explaining Derrida with Diagrams 1: Différance', [Online]. Available at: https://christopherwatkin.com/2017/02/27/explaining-derrida-with-diagrams-1-differance/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Weisstein, Eric W. (2017), 'Young Girl - Old Woman Illustrion', [Online]. Available at: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/YoungGirl-OldWomanIllusion.html [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Willette, Jeanne (1968), 'Jacques Derrida and "Différence"', [Online]. Available at: http://arthistoryunstuffed.com/jacques-derrida-differance/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]

Illustrations
Fig. 1 'What We Argue About When We Argue About Bathrooms', (2016), [Photograph]. Available at: https://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/05/15/what-we-argue-about-when-we-argue-about-bathrooms/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
and
Restroom Sign, (No Date), [Online Image]. Available at: https://www.ravishly.com/sites/default/files/field/image/restroom-99226_1280_0.png [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 2 Watkin, Christopher (2017), 'Difference Diagram 5', [Online Image]. Available at: https://christopherwatkin.com/2017/02/27/explaining-derrida-with-diagrams-1-differance/ [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 3 W.E. Hill (1915), 'My Wife and My Mother in Law', [Illustration]. Available at: http://i.imgur.com/yu35OYb.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 4 'Judith Butler', (No Date), [Photograph]. Available at: https://cdn-ed.versobooks.com/blog_posts/000003/304/COL_News_Butler2_2318-eb76ae8949b5c1ccafb7225e203dfe2c-.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 5 'Butler - Bodies That Matter', (No Date), [Book Cover Photograph]. Available at: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ac/ff/c3/acffc3dae8bcffd4a7b167fa309f31d7.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
and
Oshineye, Ade (2013), 'Judith Butler's Gender Trouble', [Photograph]. Available at: https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8095/8600697604_3c8d7d044a_b.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 6 'Funny Games [US Edition] Poster', (2007), [Online Image]. Available at: http://www.filmsdulosange.fr/uploads/pictures/funny-games-us-5.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 7 'mrbrown16', (2011), Screenshot comparison, [Online Image]. Available at: http://www.35milimetros.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Funnygames_VSlow.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
Fig. 8 'Funny Games', (2007), [Film Still]. Available at: http://www.heavemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/funny-games-e1334256751898.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]
and
'Funny Games', (1997), [Film Still]. Available at: http://ilarge.lisimg.com/image/12795418/1118full-funny-games-screenshot.jpg [Accessed Date: 01/11/2017]