David Lynch and Poststructuralism

Harmony Gibson

Eraserhead is one of the most bizarre, abstract films you'll ever see. Shot entirely in black and white and directed by David Lynch, it's an introspective, disturbing and confusingly told story about a man who lives in a depressing, post-industrial world. His life is further disturbed by the birth of his baby, which he has sick and twisted visions about and views as a grotesque creature. The plot itself seems to have absolutely no rhyme or reason, and therefore I think Poststructuralism encapsulates the ideas it conveys perfectly. Poststructuralism highlights lack of structure, absence of patterns, fragmented narration and emphasizes a rejection of classic of literary structure. Eraserhead, and Lynch's overall style, does just that and tells a story more so through the chaotic and abstract imagery and setup than the actual plot itself. Lynch uses poststructuralism in a lot of his films, in that none of them have any single, fixed meaning. Because of the bizarre and surreal themes, much of his work is left entirely up to interpretation and can have many differing meanings. Eraserhead has been interpreted many different ways-- one might argue that it focuses on the isolation and fear that arises in the face of sudden parenthood, others may argue that it brings to light the bleak and enslaving reality of capitalist society. Others may choose to view it as straightforward, about a man who is insane and suffers from hallucinations. I think that Lynch's whole point with the movie is to emphasize the lack of control any of us have over our circumstances, and through a Poststructuralist lens, it makes it quite clear that he wants us (the viewer) to be acutely aware of this. He makes the story so surreal and unsettling that by the end, the viewer is comforted by the main character's return to his mundane job and life, which was dreary and unwelcoming in the beginning. Perhaps he's making a point that it can always be worse, or that no matter how safe you may feel, there's a dark undertone to society and living by its rules. Regardless, his lack of structure and abstract way of making it mean something different to everyone who watches it makes it a perfect Poststructuralist example.

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