A Deconstructionist-Linguistic Analysis of Atkinson's Poetic Collection Lumen from EFL Learners' Perspective

Authors

  • Syeda Breeha Bukhari

    Department of English, Jadeed Dastagir Ideal High School, Gujranwala 52250, Pakistan
  • Hina Rafique

    Department of English, Govt. Graduate College(W), Gujranwala 52250, Pakistan
  • Amjad Islam Amjad

    Department of Education, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
  • Mallika Vasugi Govindarajoo

    Faculty of Education and Humanities, UNITAR International University, Petaling Jaya 47301, Malaysia
  • Shamim Akhter

    Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University, Nilai 71800, Malaysia
  • Sarfraz Aslam

    Faculty of Education and Humanities, UNITAR International University, Petaling Jaya 47301, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11222
Received: 23 July 2025 | Revised: 1 August 2025 | Accepted: 15 August 2025 | Published Online: 28 October 2025

Abstract

The present research attempts to analyze the divergent themes and thought patterns in the poetry collection Lumen  by Tiffany Atkinson in light of the Post-Modernist Deconstruction theory postulated by Jacques Derrida. Atkinson is a British postmodernist academic and award-winning poet. Lumen is a medical discourse with an artistic portrayal of pain, suffering, human vulnerability, the speaker’s reflections on time and memory, and his reactions to existential angst. The researchers applied the tenets of Deconstruction theory to analyze this text and its aesthetic and linguistic value. This research is qualitative and is based on textual analysis. Ultimately, the analysis showed that the utilization of diverse notions about life, language, and society led the researchers to explore the underlying structures, interpretations, and subversive elements of this poetry collection. It also highlighted that Atkinson’s poems used a lot of imagery, such as the imagery of Kali, morphine, Kolkata, and the intricate interplay of literary tropes that give multiple meanings, challenging fixed interpretations and inviting readers to question assumptions. They enhanced readers' understanding of Atkinson's artistic vision, language, identity, and societal engagement, as revealed in Lumen. The smart interplay of past and present, reality and imagery also portrays that Atkinson’s poems have fluid and multiple meanings. Atkinson's Lumen captures the complexities of human existence and the intricacies of language by using artistic innovations, fragmented and disjoint narrative, and shifting paradigms of perception and interpretation. Lumen emerges as a critical text that invites readers to delve beneath the surface of language and meaning.

Keywords:

Deconstructive Analysis; Derrida; Social Relationships; British Poetry; Open Interpretation; Learning Opportunities; Quality Education

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How to Cite

Breeha Bukhari, S., Rafique, H., Islam Amjad, A., Vasugi Govindarajoo, M., Akhter , S., & Aslam, S. (2025). A Deconstructionist-Linguistic Analysis of Atkinson’s Poetic Collection Lumen from EFL Learners’ Perspective. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(11), 1428–1444. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11222

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 11 (November 2025)

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Syeda Breeha Bukhari, Hina Rafique, Amjad Islam Amjad, Mallika Vasugi Govindarajoo, Shamim Akhter , Sarfraz Aslam

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.