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To what extent does language shape our thoughts
How does language influence our perception of the world
To what extent does language shape our thoughts
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The prehistoric times stand evidence to the power of language as a tool for communication and growth. Language has proven to be an effective medium and factor surrounding the evolution of man. Language has played a big role in the development of individuals and societies. What is spoken and/or written, help in the initiation of imagination, expression of feelings, and conveyance of thoughts and ideas. “The pen is mightier than the sword” (Bulwer-Lytton 1839). Hence, iconic political figures have used language to force individuals to think and act on important issues that encompass society. Activists like Malcolm X and Helen Keller exemplify this power and perspective of language in the realms of approach and progress.
History records Malcolm
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“It would have been difficult to find a happier child than I was as I lay in my crib at the close of that eventful day and lived over the joys it had brought me, and for the first time longed for a new day to come. I had now the key to all language, and I was eager to learn to use it” (Keller 146). The ability to actually comprehend words and associate those words to thoughts and feelings rejuvenated her. Keller was reborn that day, with a new ‘vision’ and a new direction. What started that day, culminated into Keller becoming the first deaf person to earn a bachelors degree. She learnt to speak and ‘hear’ by following the movements of people’s lips. Keller was extremely hardworking and she personified willpower and diligence by patiently untangling the taboos of society to prove her critics …show more content…
Their obstacles were not mere fences that they could jump over and win a race. Their hindrances were physical, mental, environmental, and spiritual.
Physically, Keller was deaf and blind, growing up in a society that hadn’t witnessed the advancement of people with disabilities. Malcolm X, on the other hand, moved from foster home to foster home, in a society that did not recognize African Americans as equals, only to be incarcerated at the age of twenty. Hence, they were both being held back by society’s tendencies to accept prejudices and dogmas in the name of norms.
In addition, both Malcolm X and Helen Keller faced challenges to overcome their respective frustrations, live up to their personal expectations, and express their own will. “I became increasingly frustrated at not being able to express what I wanted to convey in letters that I wrote, especially to Mr. Elijah Muhammad. In the street, I had been the most articulate hustler out there…But not, trying to write simple English, I not only wasn’t articulate, I wasn’t even functional” (Malcolm X
While reading Mark Drolsbaugh’s Deaf Again where he wrote about his experiences with becoming postlingually deaf, I realized that I was able to relate to some of the situations he encountered, especially when he spoke of his frustrating childhood due to his disability. As he grew older, he needed to find new ways to cope with and accept his deafness. Because of his unique viewpoint with deaf parents who were not allowed to sign around him, the book gave readers a different perspective to look at deafness with. Drolsbaugh’s personal account of his life was inspirational as he grew up with a truly exceptional situation, yet was able to overcome his obstacles and become successful after he quit denying who he really was.
The year 1964 is known for civil rights activists, racist groups, and political strife. In order to achieve this goal and increase the speeches effectiveness, X utilizes a variety of rhetorical strategies within his speech. When analyzing the powerful and informative speech of Malcolm X, its evident that it’s a memorable one. The tonality of the speech employs anger and seriousness. This causes the audience to also to be filled with immense anger as he opens their understanding about the disputes going on in the society.
The mighty river flows through the mountains with liquidity and nurture providing life for all those who wish to take a sip from it. Yet the river is powerful in its own force destroying even the largest rocks, crumbling them into small pieces. People may be able to stop the river for a short time or even dry it up but the water always comes back in one form or another, every dam is bound to fail. Some people have been able to harness the power of the river, redirecting the mighty water making it flow in constructive ways. Similar to the river, language is influential. Its true power is not seen by the naked eye but by those who study it, those who use it as their ally in a war of linguistics. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter, Birmingham City Jail he is able to use all three rhetorical appeals to prove that demonstrations lead to negotiations and benefit for both sides of an argument.
Keller in her essay “The Day Language Came into My Life” notes many contrasts between her lives before and after she acquired language. Keller even states at the beginning of her essay the “immeasurable contrast between the two lives which it connects” (72). When Keller first met her teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan she described herself as dumb, expectant, like being at sea in a dense fog. Before language, Keller recalls her fingers lingered unconsciously on familiar objects such as leaves and blossoms. Before Keller met Anne Sullivan, she was not aware words even existed.
Everyone cried a little inside when Helen Keller, history's notorious deaf-blind-mute uttered that magic word 'wa' at the end of the scientifically baffling classic true story. Her ability to overcome the limitations caused by her sensory disabilities not only brought hope for many like cases, but also raised radical scientific questions as to the depth of the brain's ability.
Helen Keller is a hardworking individual who succeeds in life despite many hardships. Keller’s Address before the New York Association for the Blind on January 15, 1907 can be analyzed for evidence, reasoning, and stylistic and persuasive elements. Keller uses evidence, such as facts and examples, to support claims. She also uses reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence. Moreover, stylistic and persuasive elements, such as diction, and appeals to the emotion, such as pathos, ethos, and logos, are used to help add power to the ideas expressed. Keller’s great use of writing techniques help to add power to her speech and ideas.
It may be hard to believe, but Clerc didn’t attend school or learn to write until he was twelve years old. He didn’t have any means of communication or education until his uncle-godfather enrolled him in the Institut National des Jeune Sourds-Muets which was the first public school for the deaf in the world; becoming the model for many other schools for the deaf in the time to come. Clerc exceeded
On April 3, 1964, Malcolm X made a powerful speech called The Ballot or The Bullet that probably changed the way how African Americans saw themselves in 1964. African Americans didn’t have much to say when it came to elections during 1964. The caucasian politicians would come into black neighborhoods to force African Americans to put them in office. Throughout his speech, Malcolm X’s uses ethos, pathos, logos and tone to get his point across. He used rhetorical appeals to explain that all humans should be treated equally and given equal rights. Since his speech took place in the 60’s, most of the crowd that came to hear his speech were African Americans. African Americans wanted to hear how they could be motivated to bring equality to society. Malcolm X used great examples of rhetorical appeals to make his speech inspiring.
Helen Keller has had an influence on society by becoming a role model for the deaf and blind. When she was 19 months she came down with an illness called “scarlet fever”. As a result of the illness, Helen Keller became blind and deaf, leaving her not able to see and hear. Many people didn’t believe in Helen Keller being able to learn, but she ended up proving everyone wrong. Later on in her life with the help of her teacher Anne Sullivan, Helen learned to read, write and speak. Helen Keller once said “While they were saying it couldn’t be done, it was done” (Keller). Helen was born June 27, 1880 from a family of southern landowners with two older sisters in Tuscumbia Alabama. Kate and Arthur Keller found a young woman at the Perkins Institution to teach Helen how to communicate. A month later after Anne Sullivan’s arrival, she had already taught Helen at the age of six the word water and that words have a meaning. Once Helen learned to communicate with others by using ...
Deaf Lecture Reflection During the Deaf Lecture, where Neil McDevitt and Kyle Rosenberg spoke about their individual lives growing up within Deaf culture and having identity issues, many things that were bought up, correlated with Mark Drolsbaugh’s Deaf Again autobiography. From being Deaf in hearing educational environments, to hearing aids and lip reading, both Neil, Kyle and Mark spoke about the struggles and beauty within Deaf culture. Likewise, the same themes that were present in Droslbaugh’s autobiography, were bought up during the lecture, such as denial, the importance of education paired with diversity, and the cochlear implants topic. Additionally, the danger of overgeneralizing people and realizing that people aren’t monolithic,
Bahan, Ben. Hoffmeister, Robert. Lane, Harlan. A Journey into the Deaf World. USA: Dawn Sign Press.
Lou, Mimi WheiPing. Language Learning and Deafness: The history of language use in the education of the Deaf in the United States. Ed. Michael Strong. Cambridge: Cambridge Universtiy Press, 1988. 77-96. Print.
What does living a life with hearing and vision loss entail? In the 1800's many deaf children were seen as an embarrassment and disposition for their families, but in 1880 a child was born that would change the depiction of impaired children forever. On June 27, 1880 Helen Keller, a perfectly healthy child was born into a wealthy family. Unfortunately, 19 months later she fell incredibly ill resulting in the loss of both her sight and hearing. Due to her inability to effectively communicate as a child she soon began to act out in extreme manners. In attempt to find help for their beloved child, Helen's parents sought out the advice of well-known inventor Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. As a result of their meeting, the family hired a personal educator by the name of Anne Sullivan who came to work with Helen beginning March 3, 1887. Thanks to her incredible determination and the guidance of her governess, Helen Keller became a world-wide influence for both disabled and average individuals when she overcame both blindness and deafness to succeed as an author, political activist,
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart,” claims Helen Keller, a blind and deaf woman since the age of 19 months when she contracted what the doctors of her era called “brain fever”, now known as scarlet fever (www.nndb.com). Throughout her life, she began as a scared child and transformed into a bold, “miracle worker”. Helen Keller transformed the lives of others with her dedication and work, involved herself in political causes and even inspired other deaf-blind children, before she went on to win numerous awards.
Most people think that power is yelling, forcing people to do things , being harsh, or causing fear; but to me the power is knowing how to use language and when. It’s knowing the right time to show love, or fear. If all the leaders knew how to use the power of language to lead the people we wouldn’t have so many revolutions throughout history. Language is all we need to communicate with people. it can be the most powerful weapon, it can bring war or peace. It can break or build a country, it can make you the strongest leader ever born or a nobody neglected by the rest. Language is the most powerful tool created, and it 's fascinating how everyone of us uses it to their advantage. We can manipulate people so easily