Modern cultural analysis requires fragmenting meaning rather than seeking closure

Evidence

Benjamin reminded us quite a while ago that montage would destroy the aura of the unique and singular work of art forever. And once you destroy the aura of the singular work of art because it can be reiterated, you enter into a new era which cannot be approaching the same way, using the traditional theoretical concepts. You are going to have to operate your analysis of meaning without the solace of closure: more on the basis of the semantic raids Benjamin proposed—to find the fragments, to decipher their assembly and see how you can make the surgical cut into them, assembling and reassembling the means of instruments of cultural production. — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 725

Categorization

• DEFINE: Grounds the concept of ‘semantic raids’ and post-aura analysis in Benjamin and montage.
• XREF: Connects to Benjamin’s aura essay and to Craig Dworkin/postmodern fragmentation debates in the reader’s theory collection. — connects to: All representations of culture are necessarily partial accounts — Mary Bucholtz and Kira Hall, Identity and Interaction: A…, 109; People need cultural meaning generally but no single coherent cultural framework; Cultural analysis must trace routes of transformation rather than roots of continuity (+3 more)
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: All representations of culture are necessarily partial accounts — Mary Bucholtz and Kira Hall, Identity and Interaction: A…, 109; People need cultural meaning generally but no single coherent cultural framework; Cultural analysis must trace routes of transformation rather than roots of continuity (+3 more)