Language is the way we communicate out thoughts, feelings, desires, and dreams to others. This ability of language is what sets humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. In the essay written by Helen Keller, she writes that her acquisition of language is what “set her free”. This freedom given by language is also seen in Malcolm X’s Homemade Education. Both of these authors were unable to express themselves and this inability frustrated them immensely, worse for Helen Keller who had no means at all for self-expression. Malcolm X read and copied the dictionary teaching himself to read and comprehend the written language he so desperately needed to express himself with, and Helen Keller learned how to acquire language with the help of her teacher. Acquiring language allowed both of them to feel truly free, and gave them the ability of self-expression.
This power given to us by language is the greatest gift possible, in my opinion. Language provides us with freedom. It allows us to tell others and have them understand our feelings, wants, dreams, and desires. With the spoken or even written word, I can do almost anything. I can read books and understand the words and the deeper meanings in the story. I can write stories and letters that everyone in the world can read and understand what I am trying to say. With language I can talk to other people who I met throughout my life, I can introduce myself and explain how I am and what I want out of life. With language I can talk to my friends and tell them jokes, have conversations, and communicate our wants and desires. I can talk to my family and teach my baby nephews new words and help them to express their needs to the world and the people around them. With my little sister I can talk to her and help her with her homework, showing her what this word means or what a story is really about. And with my boyfriend I can express my feelings toward him and how neat I think he is, and he can tell me through the power of language his feelings toward me as well. I have always been an avid reader throughout my life and with through the books I have been able to visit places I have never been, and met people I will never have met normally. Through these books I have felt free and able to be anywhere and achieve anything. (That was a bit corny, sorry) But any person who read to escape their tedious and mundane life can understand those stories allowed them to go somewhere else for a while and escape from their reality. This written language is what allowed me to feel free.
Language is what allows us to communicate what we are feeling inside. This power to expresses our feelings are given to us only through language and is the gift given to mankind. I think the ability to express ourselves is the most important thing, and we must protect it, cherish it, and nurture it throughout our lives.
First of all, I would love to know the reasoning behind your blog name. Would you share it with us?
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean when you speak about 'the great escape" that is found in books. I experienced this feeling even as a small child reading Dr. Suess. The writings took me into a magical, goofy world of make-believe. As I grew older I became attached to sci-fi, both in books and on the screen. Funny how the stories never seemed that far-fetched.
Language does give us power, whether is is the written, spoken, or signed word. Without that power Keller and Malcolm would have shriveled up and died.
I believe many Americans feel a grand command of the English language makes someone a better person, someone to be looked up to and respected more than those who have a modest or less command of it. Boulderdash, I say! If a person can get his or her point across to the audience they are speaking to it does not matter how eloquent their words are. As long as a person can and is allowed to say what is on their mind, whether it be in person, in print, or on the Internet, all should be accepted.
The essays by Malcolm X and Helen Keller spoke deeply to me as well. I never had to try as hard as they to gain the means of self expression. I never did anything grand with the abilities I do possess, either. Lord know I have a way with words, (or MY way with them...), and it ain't always pretty. I find it very easy to communicate.
ReplyDeleteone thing that amazes me in addition to the freedom we possess in what we can say, is the many different media we have to do it in and the differences it can have one communication styles. The speed at which I thing when I am typing in my 6 fingeres, hunt and peck style, brings about a way different animal than my free hand cursive. As, an experiment last year, feeling greatly encumbered by the volume of reading and writing I had to do for 6 online classes I began experimenting with windows dictation and screen readers. Although by no means perfect, I quickly found that since I sound every word out in my head as I type and must look at the keys to do so, my prose increased deliciously in palatability when I dictated to the machine. The teacher noticed too, commenting often that my writing style reallly came across as one that made her feel I was right there talking to her, which of course, I was. I never let on.
Sometimes when Im on facebook I can barely stop the flood of words and thoughts long enough to type. I write rather fluently but with little more thought that rolls of the top of my head. I will be quite formidable if any of this critical thinking education actually sinks in past my laggard defenses. Most of the time I find myself just seeing what I can get away with in conversation, but I do have a cognitive side and it is totally jealous of spell check.