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In her address to the Swedish Academy, Toni Morrison presents a thought provoking narrative with similarly interesting analysis. Her story suggests a critique of language, that, while mostly correct, falls just short of being complete. Ultimately, and, indeed, ironically, it is Morrison’s blind reverence for the language she criticizes that discredits her message. ...
To begin to explain the error in Morrison’s speech it is necessary to comment on the aspects of her message that are correct. She tells us that “Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge. Whether it is obscuring state language or the faux language of mindless media; whether it is the proud but calcified language of the academy or the commodity-driven language of science; whether it is the malign language of law-without-ethics, or language designed for the estrangement of minorities; hiding its racist plunder in its literary cheek - it must be rejected, altered and exposed.” Indeed, language does have consequence. Language is the means by which the human mind defines its reality. The conclusions of language are the conclusions of life. ... And the limits of language are the limits of knowledge, for we cannot know that which we cannot define, and language is our only agency for such definition.
Approximate Word count = 1103
Approximate Pages = 4.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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