Author Robert Hass and Scientist Jill Bolte Taylor both address the fact that language fails. Robert Hass' poem leaves a lot of room for interpretation, making many analogies to materialistic items such as blackberries. Hass explains in his poem how everything in life ends and how language is commonly misunderstood. Hass continues to describe how life is so beautiful and most of us would rather be on our phones talking about the same old thing again and again. The world is evolving and in that process language is changing as well. Language is extremely important and it is constantly changing, so people need to learn and stay up to date.
Jill Taylor takes more of a biological approach by sharing her own personal experience. The scientist, Jill Taylor, explained how the brain is spilt into two, the left side and the right side. The left brain thinks in language. According to Taylor, “The left brain connects your internal world to your external world," it’s the little voice inside your head. Taylor shared, first hand, how her stroke severely damaged the left side of her brain. Without a healthy brain it’s extremely difficult for language to be part of one’s daily routine.
Both these authors take different avenues in sharing there opinions on how language fails. One does it biologically and the other does it through intrepretation which I genuinely liked because I think it reaches more audiences. None the less, language is important because it is how we communicate with others and share & express our thoughts. Without language our individuality would cease to exist.
Both these authors take different avenues in sharing there opinions on how language fails. One does it biologically and the other does it through intrepretation which I genuinely liked because I think it reaches more audiences. None the less, language is important because it is how we communicate with others and share & express our thoughts. Without language our individuality would cease to exist.
This conversation is important for an easy reason; life isn't meant to be straight forward and linear. Our lives are meaningless without the powerful and meaningful thought process, regardless of the "nirvana" Jill Taylor experiences or the moment where "everything dissolves" in Haas' poem. Both of these people lose something to gain this moment in time. Jill loses her basic motor skills and metal abilities and is unable to fully function for 8 years while the speaker in Haas' poem becomes essentially a mindless animal who is feeling through his body and soul. They both were in bliss but, I think that it wasn't worth it in the first place.
ReplyDeleteLanguage is not only displayed through words. The loss of words and ability to communicate through voice and thought brought Jill Taylor nirvana. It showed her that the failure of language can be beautiful, but it is merely a choice; it is all in the mindset. I feel that Haas was trying to explain that language through your senses can sometimes be more intricate and elaborate than any word in any language. The failure of language in both cases showed peace, harmony and a positive yet different outlook on communication itself.
ReplyDeleteThe important thing you have to consider when asking why these concepts of language matter is happiness. Jill Taylor's interpretation of Nirvana will most certainly contrast the way others may interpret this concept. Having experienced it Jill Taylor is able to make the decision that the state she was in during and slightly after the stroke were Nirvana by comparison. Both Taylor's experience as well as Haas' poem stress the non necessary essence of language, that feelings and abstract ideas have a driving force as well.
ReplyDeleteWhen both Hass and Taylor describe their experience without language, they give up something vital in order to enjoy the experience. They both disconnect from themselves in a way in order to achieve "nirvana" as Taylor describes it. I feel that there are alternatives to feel bliss without giving things such as our thought process or language. I feel that having the mind going blank for a few moments of happiness is a bit extreme and really not worth it in my book.
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