According to Kristeva, the abject is neither subject nor object, although it exists in opposition to the “I.” Abjection is the human response to the breakdown of boundaries between the self and the other. Humans feel horror and nausea when such blurring of boundaries happens. It may manifest in a loathing for certain foods or smells or revulsion at the sight of an open wound. The most important source of abjection is the human corpse because it reminds humans of their own mortality. A living human can be a subject or an object, perhaps the source of desire. A corpse, however, is neither subject nor object: it is abject.

An idea developed by literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, the carnival is a reaction to oppressive forces. It is a liberating and subversive force that breaks down social hierarchies and barriers. Carnival can be an event, text, or artwork in which boundaries are dissolved, allowing for the eruption of the abject.

The first stage of psychosexual development, according to Kristeva, lasts from birth to six months. This is a pre-language state in which the infant does not distinguish themselves from their mother. It is a time of feelings, perceptions, and needs without any boundaries.