molloy as an example of derrida's solution to the 'nature/culture opposition'

take molloy as a combination of modernism and postmodernism.

consider: the novel borrows characteristics from both movements. combine these pieces and call it bricolage; mix literary genres into a commentary and call it pastiche.

now say: modernism can include, but is not limited to --

dealing with the mundane
discontinuous narrative; stream of consciousness
tradition, style, form
unconventional use of metaphor
metanarrative
classical allusions
using language to influence what a piece of literature can do or be
the intention to change the reader's 'understanding' of what language is and does

say: postmodernism can include, but is not limited to --

rejecting western cultures, beliefs, values, norms, etc. as only a small part of the human experience
not necessarily concerned with being 'profound'
irony, playfulness
metafiction
a focus on the exterior image
fragmented, unfinished, indeterminate; "jagged"
allowing the reader to draw one's own connections
struggle to express the meaningless of a world filled with meaning-heavy words

(remember: both are reactions to a previous movement. both are break-away-from's.)

and then remember that in response to the 'nature/culture opposition,' what derrida says we should be doing is: "conserving...all these old concepts, while at the same time exposing here and there their limits, treating them as tools which can still be of use." no more truth-value, no more grand meaning, no more limitations. just a lot of moving forward and expanding not only what we think but the way it's thought.

now consider: this is beckett's intent. instead of the "end of the novel," beckett wants to bring about a deconstruction of conventional ideas of meaning-- dispense with traditional ways of telling a story, stripped down, the antithesis of elements what traditionally 'make up' a novel. modernism alone can't accomplish this and neither can postmodernism, but certain aspects taken from each, combined into something much more useful for beckett's purpose, can be "exploited...employed to destroy the old machinery to which they belong and of which they themselves are pieces" (derrida).