Structure, Sign, and Play by Jacques Derrida
The lecture on Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences by Jacques Derrida was delivered at the Johns Hopkins University in 1966. This lecture is considered a foundational text in poststructuralist thought and deconstruction.
Introduction to the Author: Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida (1930–2004) was a French philosopher known for developing deconstruction, a method of analyzing texts that questions the stability of meaning. His works challenge the ideas of Western metaphysics, particularly its reliance on binary oppositions and the idea of fixed structures. Derrida’s philosophy is deeply influenced by thinkers like Ferdinand de Saussure, Martin Heidegger, and Sigmund Freud.
What’s the Essay About?
In this essay about Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences by Jacques Derrida, we see how he challenges the idea that human understanding is based on fixed structures with stable meanings. He critiques structuralism and argues that meaning is always shifting because of the endless play of signs.
What is Structure?
Derrida begins his essay by discussing the idea of “structure” in human sciences. Structures are traditionally seen as stable, organized systems with a central point governing meaning. This center acts as an anchor, providing a fixed reference to understand elements within the structure. However, Derrida challenges this assumption by arguing that the center itself is paradoxical—it defines the structure and limits the free play of its elements.
According to Derrida, structuralism (as developed by thinkers like Saussure, Levi-Strauss, and others) depends on this concept of a centered, stable structure. However, this very stability is an illusion.
How Does Derrida Talk About God?
Derrida uses “God” not in a religious sense, but as a symbol of the “center” in Western thinking. Here’s how:
The Idea of the “Center”
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In structuralist thought, every system (like language, culture, philosophy) is thought to have a center — something that gives it stability and meaning.
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This “center” is often an unchanging truth or fixed idea — like God, truth, reality, or being.
Derrida Writes:
“This function of the center was not thought as a being capable of reflecting itself. The center is at the center of the totality, and yet, since the center does not belong to the totality (is not part of the totality), the totality has its center elsewhere. The center is not the center.”
What he’s saying is:
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The center is supposed to give structure and meaning.
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But the center is not part of the play — it’s treated as outside of it, like a God-like figure.
God as the Ultimate Center
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In philosophy and Western metaphysics, God has often played the role of the ultimate center:
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The unmoved mover.
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The creator of meaning.
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The origin of all truth.
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Derrida critiques this, saying that relying on a center like “God” is a way to avoid the “free play” of meaning.
What Happens When the Center Is Questioned?
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Derrida says the moment we realize that the center (God, truth, etc.) is not fixed, it creates “play” — movement, change, instability.
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This is exciting and unsettling: it breaks the illusion of a stable, God-given order.
Final Thought
Derrida uses “God” as an example of how Western thought has always needed a center to make sense of the world. But he challenges this, suggesting that we accept the instability and “play” that comes when there is no ultimate center, not even God.
What is différance?
“Différance” is a word Derrida made up (spelled with an “a” instead of “e”) to combine two ideas from French:
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To differ – things are not the same.
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To defer – things are delayed or postponed.
So, in différance, meaning:
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Never arrives fully
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Always depends on what came before and what will come after
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It is shifting because words only mean things with other words
Example: The Word “Cat”
How do you understand what it means?
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Not by looking at the word “cat” alone.
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You understand it by knowing what it is not:
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It’s not a dog.
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It’s not a rat.
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It’s not a lion.
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So, the word “cat” gets its meaning by differing from other words.
But here’s the twist:
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You also don’t get the complete meaning right away.
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You think of:
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An image.
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A sound.Your memory of a pet.
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All of that comes in time, piece by piece. The meaning is deferred.
Simple Example for ‘differance’: A Dictionary
If you look up a word in the dictionary, you find:
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Another word.
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Then that word leads to another.
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And another…
You never get to the “final” meaning — we move from one word to another.
That’s différance in action — a chain of meanings, never fixed, but shifting.
What is Play?
Derrida introduces the idea of play to challenge the rigidity of structuralist thought. Play refers to the fluidity and openness within a structure, where elements are not fixed but constantly shifting.
Traditionally, structures limit play by establishing a center that governs meaning. However, Derrida argues that when we recognize that the center is not absolute but constructed, we allow for a “free play” of meanings. This destabilization of structure opens up endless possibilities for interpretation.
What is Bricolage in Simple Terms?
Bricolage is a French word that means creating something using whatever materials are available, like being resourceful and imaginative!
A bricoleur is the person doing the bricolage — someone who doesn’t follow a strict plan but uses what they have to solve problems or make something new.
Kindergarten-Friendly Examples
Example 1: Art Project from Recycled Materials
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Situation: The class is out of construction paper, but has to make a colorful collage.
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What the teacher says: “Let’s use old magazines, scraps, buttons, and leaves from outside!”
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Why it’s bricolage: The children become bricoleurs by using available materials in creative ways to make art.
Example 2: Building a House in the Play Area
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Situation: The kids want to build a pretend house but don’t have toy blocks.
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What they do: They use cushions, chairs, a blanket, and empty boxes to make their house.
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Why it’s bricolage: They didn’t follow instructions — they used what was around them, like true little bricoleurs!
Example 3: Making a Musical Instrument
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Situation: A student wants a drum but doesn’t have one.
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What the child does: She takes an empty tin can, stretches a balloon over the top, and taps it with pencils.
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Why it’s bricolage: That’s a homemade solution using imagination — she’s a bricoleur!
Example 4: Problem-Solving in Class
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Situation: A child’s pencil breaks, and there are no sharpeners.
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What the child does: He borrows a crayon from a friend and finishes his drawing.
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Why it’s bricolage: He adapts to the situation using what’s available.
Key Takeaway for Kids
A bricoleur is like a little inventor who uses whatever is around to create or fix something in fun and clever ways.
What is Sign?
A sign, according to Derrida, as also in structuralist thought (especially in Saussurean linguistics), is made up of a signifier (the word or symbol) and a signified (the concept it represents). Structuralists believe that meaning emerges from differences between signs rather than from a direct relationship with reality.
Derrida builds on this idea but critiques it, arguing that signs are never stable and always refer to other signs in an endless chain of meaning. This process, called différance (a term Derrida coined), suggests that meaning is always deferred and never fully present.
Conclusion: The Crisis of Structure
Derrida concludes that the history of Western philosophy has been an attempt to establish fixed centers of meaning (such as truth, God, reason, or essence). However, structuralism, while exposing the arbitrariness of signs, still relies on a center. Derrida’s critique shows that there is no ultimate grounding for meaning, leading to a more open-ended and dynamic understanding of language and knowledge.
He suggests that instead of trying to find a new center, we should embrace the play of meaning and the instability of structures. This leads to a more fluid, deconstructive approach to knowledge.