Comparing Language In 'The Word Exchange And Arrival'

Since the beginning of civilization, language has been used as a powerful weapon and tool to not only control and manipulate others but also to provide a sense of security among members of a society; the perceived importance of language is clearly evident among character’s interchanges in both the novel The Word Exchange and the movie Arrival, in which words are used both in conflict resolution and in manipulation. The Word Exchange is written from two different perspectives, one that belongs to Anna and the other that belongs to Bart; both characters use language to share their experiences of overcoming the deadly effects of the“word flu.” Arrival develops several themes other than the more obvious one of protecting the earth from foreign invaders, otherwise referred to as Heptapods. Louise, a linguistics professor, encourages the other military officers that they must push past their fears and unite to communicate with the other 12 landing sites to establish and accomplish their unified goal: to understand the heptapods and to make peace. Ana’s, Bart’s, and Doug’s use of language in The Word Exchange and Louise’s use of language in Arrival illustrate that it is human nature to rely on language as both an essential tool for survival and the resolution of critical problems.

Bart keeps a journal about his experiences during the “word flu” epidemic. In the beginning of his journal, he does not write about the “word flu”, but he keeps a journal to read and remember his thoughts and emotions associated with different events in his life. However, as the “word flu” begins to spread and becomes greatly feared, Bart decides to chthe purpose of keeping a journal from that of a personal keepsake to that of a preservation of a spoken language, as he realizes that the English language will completely change and evolve in the near