The Sacred Language of Toni Morrison Essay -- Toni Morrison

The Sacred Language of Toni Morrison Toni Morrison makes a good extremum when, in her word sense speech upon receiving the Nobel pry in Literature, she says, Narrative . . . is . . . oneness of the principal ways in which we absorb knowledge (7). The words we intake and the way in which we subprogram them is how we, as humans, communicate to each otherwise our thoughts, feelings, and actions and therefore our knowledge of the world and its peoples. Knowledge is power. In this way, our lecture, too, is powerful. In her acceptance speech, Morrison tries to communicate the idea that we mustiness(prenominal) be c areful with how we use our words. She analogizes the use of language to the life of a metaphoric bird in a narration of a wise, old, blind woman. Toni Morrison opens her speech by referring to a tale of two young people who, in trying to disprove the credibility of this wise woman, ask the question, Is the bird I am holding in my hand existing or dead? (11). O f course, be blind, the woman does not know and must say so. However, she adds that, What I do know is that it is in your detainment. It is in your hands (11). In saying this, she tells the youngsters that the fate of the birds life is their responsibility. The bird, in this case, represents language. Morrison explains, So I choose to read the bird as language and the woman as a practiced writer (12). The bird has all been found dead, been killed, or has the ability (if it is alive) to be killed, much as language, being looked at as a living thing, can live or die be saved or destroyed. Language is susceptible to death, erasure certainly imperiled and salvageable only by an effort of the testament (Morrison 13). That will is the responsibility of those who ... ...ossible lives of its speakers, readers, writers, (20) Morrison describes. The limits of what language can do are indefinite, unachievable, and inaccessible. For, really, there are no limits to language--no limits to knowledge--no limits to power--the power of the mind. The future of language is yours, (23) Morrison tells us. It is in our hands. This is why we must hold the life of language sacred--the life of this bird, which has wings to make it soar. whole kit Cited Fox-Genovese, Elizabeth. The Claims of a common Culture Gender, Race, Class and the Canon. Writing as Re-Vision A Students Anthology. Ed. Beth Alvarado and Barbara Cully. Needham Heights Simon & Schuster P. 1998. 15-23. Morrison, Toni. Lecture and Speech of Acceptance, Upon the Award of the Nobel Prize for Literature. New York Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1994.