A cultural study of the chair

Abstract

This research traces the cultural significance of chairs. It examines the ways in which chairs are used to create and reinforce boundaries between individuals and/or groups of people within various social contexts. Gender, racial, and socio-economic factors were among the major chair-related divisions explored. Building from the cultural interpretation of chairs, the thesis moves towards a close reading of the chairs that are located in several literary texts, including Lady Audley's Secret, Invisible Man, and "The Human Chair", a short story by Japanese writer Edogawa Rampo.