When trying to make a point some
tend to sugar coat. Make things seem not as bad as they really are. Neither Wallace
nor Morrison did this. Everything was cut throat; straight to the point. “…experience supports my deep belief that I
am the absolute center of the universe” Almost like ripping off a band
aid he gets straight to the point. Morrison drug out her point a bit at first
but things started to clear up “when language dies, out of carelessness,
disuse, indifference and absence of esteem, or killed by fiat, not only she
herself, but all users and makers are accountable for its demise.” During
these speeches both Morrison and Wallace were fearless. In my opinion these
speeches were worded perfectly for each group. Both covered perspective. How we
see the things around us is our choice.
During Wallace’s speech he says
more than once he is NOT trying to
tell anyone how to think, only telling that if they do think that way it is
natural. It is normal to see ourselves as “the center of the universe”, our own
personal universe. In Morrison’s the vibe is different. Not only because she’s
talking to a more seasoned/experienced age group but because of her word
choice. She in my opinion talked to them as if she was telling them it’s all of
us in center not just each of us in our own personal ones. Am I making sense? Like
our actions don’t just affect us they affect everyone and everything around us,
her example of this was language. “Use bullets instead to iterate the voice of
speechlessness” people feeling as though they aren’t being heard, feel
as though there is absolutely NOBODY
there. Whereas in “This is water”
you choose to listen or not, and what you choose to do can alter your little
universe as well as theirs.
I agree with how you contrasted the two essays. Wallace, rather than telling the students how to feel or think, tries to tell a point of view (even though he is telling them quite persuasively). He is promoting individualism, for these college grads to take their own paths. And if they want to take this advice it is up to them. Morrison tells the audience about society’s responsibility to protect the use of language. She does not really give them an option. In her view, we are equally responsible for language. Wallace wants us to care for others because of empathy, Morrison because it is all our responsibility.
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