Paul De Man

Paul de Man was a Belgian-born literary critic and theorist who profoundly influenced how we interpret literature and language. He emphasized that meaning in texts is not fixed but shaped by language's complexities, ambiguities, and context. De Man was associated with poststructuralism and deconstruction, approaches that question traditional ideas about author intent and objective meaning. His work encourages readers to explore the multiple, often conflicting messages within texts, revealing the fluidity and instability of language itself.