Deconstructionist Strategies In The Ambassadors By Henry James

Henry James (1843-1916) is often considered one of the most eminent American writers and critics at the turn of 20th century, a writer from realism to modernism. The Ambassadors (1903), one of three masterpieces of his last writing stage, has been accepted"the most perfect novel of his own". This thesis intends to provide an analysis of The Ambassadors in terms of the international theme and narrative strategies, two lifelong concerns of Henry James, by a means of deconstruction.James's rhetorical strategy anticipates Derrida's premise that the hierarchy collapses when the terms of a binary opposition are exchanged. Theory of deconstruction is first employed in terms of international theme, a perpetual dissonance between American and European culture. The former is the stronger party, while the latter prevails in the end. Similarly, impersonality and self-impression are binary oppositions. Central consciousness is Henry James's innovation to give the reader an objective narration. However, as he is unwilling to retreat from the stage completely, he employs narrative strategies of ficelles and transgression of perspective to achieve his goal of self-expression. At last, the effect rendered by the central consciousness is deconstructed by his self-expression.