Scholarly Jornal Researchfor "The Wasteland": "Broken Images"

While researching The Wasteland on the school's database, I came across an article that really caught my attention. It is titled, "Broken Images" by: Anthony L. Johnson. He actually uses the term, "signifier referentibility", which he defines as, "segments of the signified, allowing the reader to see all the "signposts" as connected. We spent a lot of time on the term signifier, and signifying in class, and I thought this article helped me understand the term a little better as well. Applying the term to Eliot's work, I have come to understand the poem, in a different way. Johnson points out the reoccurring "flying rat" and describes how it is a signifier of female fertility. Johnson explains that Eliot's purpose of writing this poem is to tell a story, and the way he writes it is done in such a style that it gives the story a lot of underlying connections the reader must make in their head. Johnson uses the terms, "Discursive Fragmentation" and "Paradigmatic Linkage" to describe Eliot's style of writing. Paradigmatic linkage is when the reader can depict certain dynamic reworkings between two passages. Which in the case of The Wasteland, Eliot does use this concept. Discursive fragmentation is what Eliot uses when there are unannounced shifts in the way he writes, changing the style of the writing. Eliot does this all throughout the poem, supposedly it is supposed to "signify" or allude to different things, or historical events.
Johnson's article has helped me understand Eliot's style, and CHOICE of style while writing the poem, The Wasteland, and it has really opened my eyes to the idea that there was a reason for this style, and there is a lot more to decode about this poem. I feel I am constantly going back and forth with this poem, however, Johnson's article really makes logical sense, and I see now the actual meaning behind the structure of the poem, and a little insight into the allegorical meaning as well!