The current study intends to explore the concept of deconstruction in Laura Jean McKay‘s novel Animals in That Country. It argues that the relationship between humans and non-humans leads to the deconstruction of the chain of being. The novel shows that a virus creates a bridge between humans and non-humans, enabling people to understand the emotions and thoughts of animals. In addition, the study aims to analyze a different formal strategy to break down the boundaries between humans and non-humans through conventions. It relies heavily upon the theoretical framework of Ecocriticism, specifically the concept of deconstruction. Laura's language is characterized as a complex tapestry, wherein language transforms into a dynamic entity, serving as a conduit between the human and the non-human, as well as the natural and the artificial. The study concludes that language is a dynamic tapestry that connects humans and non-humans, natural and artificial, transforming into a complex tapestry.
Najm,N A and Khalaf,L H . (2025). Deconstructing the Chain of Being in Laura Jean McKay’s Animals in That Country. Journal of Language Studies, 9(Issue 3, Part 2), 207-223. doi: 10.25130/Lang.9.3.P2.14
MLA
Najm,N A , and Khalaf,L H . "Deconstructing the Chain of Being in Laura Jean McKay’s Animals in That Country", Journal of Language Studies, 9, Issue 3, Part 2, 2025, 207-223. doi: 10.25130/Lang.9.3.P2.14
HARVARD
Najm N A, Khalaf L H. (2025). 'Deconstructing the Chain of Being in Laura Jean McKay’s Animals in That Country', Journal of Language Studies, 9(Issue 3, Part 2), pp. 207-223. doi: 10.25130/Lang.9.3.P2.14
CHICAGO
N A Najm and L H Khalaf, "Deconstructing the Chain of Being in Laura Jean McKay’s Animals in That Country," Journal of Language Studies, 9 Issue 3, Part 2 (2025): 207-223, doi: 10.25130/Lang.9.3.P2.14
VANCOUVER
Najm N A, Khalaf L H. Deconstructing the Chain of Being in Laura Jean McKay’s Animals in That Country. JLS. 2025;9(Issue 3, Part 2):207-223. doi: 10.25130/Lang.9.3.P2.14
