Language and stories are a key part of daily life. Essentially, oral and written narratives allow people to communicate their feelings, ideas, and desires to one another and the rest of the world. Additionally, it helps convey sentiments like anger, trust, and fear or portray ambitions, and aspirations. Most people conceive of language as its verbal element rather than the various yet primary forms it can take. In essence, this means that languages do not have to be spoken; they may be expressed through books and stories. Generally, language and stories play a crucial role because they transmit ideas and knowledge, expose readers to varied paths, and shield people from being vulnerable to deception and oppression.
Language and stories can help convey important information and concepts. According to Boroditsky, due to the ability to communicate, “humans can transmit ideas across vast reaches of space and time” (00:46-00:54). Written language has improved with time and is now a major learning mode. Lee affirmed that reading nurtured and broadened her thinking in a unique way (Lee 5). As a result of Lee’s development, documented narratives may be the most trustworthy form of collective gaining new concepts because knowledge can be distorted when passed down verbally through successive generations.
Language and stories also play an essential role in exposing readers to various life paths. Min Jin Lee, in the essay, recounts that “books found her at every stage of life, reminding her that if a character could change, so could she, and in turn, the story would pave another path for her” (Lee 2). Lee describes how her uncle was able to navigate from being a history graduate to a programmer just by reading books on computer science. Individuals are not born with specific talents or cognitive abilities, but they learn during their lifetime. Additionally, Boroditsky affirms that “the beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals just how ingenious and flexible the human mind is” (Boroditsky 12:20-12:28). In essence, readers utilize and meet symbols, intonation, gestures, and written language in their daily lives, yet they are unaware of their meaning. These variables can completely alter the meaning of what is said while also introducing people to new ideas.
Finally, language and stories can shield people from being vulnerable to deception and oppression. Lee recounts reading Frederick Douglass’s narrative about slavery and how it changed her perception. According to Lee, “Douglass’s words reminded her that the state forbids reading and writing when it wants to make freedom virtually impossible” (4). Indeed, marginalized groups were denied access to information to prevent revolting against their superiors. Lee discovered that governments may withhold information from specific groups. People with more education have the potential to weaken others with less and hold them in subservient roles (Lee 4). Access to comprehensive knowledge can protect people from exploitation and susceptibility to diseases and economic crises. Therefore, exposure to linguistics is an essential tool for underprivileged people.
In brief, language and stories are an important part of life since they help in advancing literacy, expose audiences to different paths, and protect individuals from deceit and subjugation. Language carefully decorates our thoughts and perceptions, much like an artist delicately paints a masterpiece while paying close attention to minute details. Generally, this is because the minor things about life matter, and they are what make existence to be meaningful.
Works Cited
Boroditsky, Lera. “Transcript of “How Language Shapes the Way We Think”.”TED, 2017.
Lee, Min J. “A Lifetime of Reading Taught Min Jin Lee How to Write About Her Immigrant World.”The New York Times, 2021.