Deconstructing Radiant Inventory: Christopher Dewdney's Representations of the Natural World in Radiant Inventory

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of Christopher Dewdney’s “Radiant Inventory” using the literary theory of deconstruction. The purpose is to try and understand the poem through Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction. The article will further examine how the deconstruction of the poem can bring the traditional notion of reading a text into application and how the perception of reality can be challenged to show multiple perspectives using language and imagery. The analysis sheds light on the poem’s questioning of the relationship between object and identity and the role of language in shaping our understanding of reality. It will strictly adhere to Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction. The purpose is to demonstrate how the deconstructive approach can offer a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances present in the poem.