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It is stated in this article that there is little if any social-science studies that show that words themselves can affect a person directly. Through studies researched by Jay and Janschewitz, it has found that cursing starts in a person by the age of two and fully develops by the age of 11 or…
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In his essay “from Fighting Words” Richard Wright wrote about words used specifically to incite violence. Wright was interesting to discover what was hiding in this written indictment from H.L Mencken that lot readers in that moment disagree. In relation to Wright words can be used as a powerfully weapon. Wright demonstrated that courage is the main factor for using fighting words.…
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On the surface these words are qualitatively good and they brought upon nothing bad, this of course is false. The drastic change in the way…
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One can receive words as direction while others use them in negative ways. Words are highly influential on Liesel’s life in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. When Liesel stole her first book, it was “the beginning of an illustrious career” (29). Liesel’s obsession with stealing books is ironic because she was in act of seeking revenge while she could not read or write.…
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Both examples from Black Boy illustrate how words are used as weapons. His words could offend, console, enrage, or be a fatal weapon. In Wright’s unceasing quest for knowledge, he discovers a strange world that makes him feel “something new, of being affected by something that made the look of the world different.” (249). He sees the world with a whole, new different perspective and this allows him to use words as weapons to express his…
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There are many examples of words having power throughout The Book Thief. One example that glorifies this theme is on page 64. On page 64, Liesel is having horrible dreams and wakes up feeling panicked and afraid. Papa comes to her rescue and starts to read The Gravedigger’s Handbook. As Papa reads to Liesel, she feels comforted and safe. They sit and read for hours, skipping the words that they do not know. The power of words brings a sense of relaxation and serenity to Liesel and words begin to form a deep bond between Liesel and Hans. Another example of the power of words is on page 105. Hans Jr. and Hans get into a major argument. Hans Jr. calls his father a coward which results in Hans Jr. storming out,…
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By saying the word ungood instead of bad, a positive is still present. The Party could contort and twist the words meanings enough that even so the word represents a negative; it can still be considered a positive, but maybe slightly less positive. Either way, the value of the word, and all words eventually, has been lost. It has been replaced by an always positive, never negative way of thinking.…
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Words depict free will and choice; thus, it can influence an individual’s state of mind and manipulate those amongst them. Something that is dealt greatly within politics is freedom of speech. Words are usually treated as an anchor for power, in which they can be used to manipulate people surrounding them. From this, the result is usually paranoia or a change in perspective. “Can you see that this enemy has found its ways – its despicable ways – through our armor, and that clearly, I cannot stand up here alone and fight him?” (Zusak, 254). Quoted by Hitler in Max’s imagination (which is driven by his fear), it takes a stance on the different ideologies that are present, and describes how destroying certain ideas set one free from yet again, negative thoughts. “They came back and forth from a truck, and after three return trips, when the heap was reduced near the bottom, a small section of living material slipped from inside the ash.” (Zusak, 119). An open flame destroyed books during a burning, in relation to Jewish individuals, on Hitler’s twentieth birthday, as an act of celebration, but also hatred. It signified an act of expression towards the hatred for Jews, through the destruction of literature, something Liesel was able to…
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As just young children, we are almost immediately taught about the power of our words. Parents constantly lecture children on the consequences of what they say, emphasizing how powerful just one word can be to someone. Often, we are taught this with bullying. A common saying we learned as children is “If you don’t have nothing to say, don’t say it at all.” Throughout Shakespeare’s epic, Richard III, there is a clear theme showing the power of word choice. Richard uses words to gain power, woo Lady Anne, motivate his army, and to trick Hastings in putting himself to death. Throughout Richard III, Shakespeare shows the power of diction in getting what one wants.…
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Violence, greed, and suffering are all great examples of power being abused negatively. When someone has power, they have the decision to either use that power in a positive or negative way. Sadly, some people decide to use their power in a negative way that affects others. Power can have a negative effect on others by using fear and manipulation.…
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Language, in itself, is exceptionally powerful. Language has the power to stop wars, to solve conflicts; however, perhaps one of the most important forces of language is the power to create emotion, to create meaning. The words an author elects to use can effectively impact one’s own reality. In the event that language is effectively utilized, it can evoke deep emotion from the reader and induce extensive thought in order to connect the words to the meaning. An author can manipulate language to convey their message by their choice of diction throughout a passage or by further applying various forms of figurative language to create imagery.…
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Throughout history, the primary method of expressing oneself has been through language, from the lyrics of songs to emotion packed novels and countless other forms. In George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, the society of a nation known as Oceania is under constant control and surveillance from a government called the Party. The Party’s stability and continued power rely on the inability of the people to have emotions or thoughts, as that could lead to rebellion. In order to control the people, the Party manipulated the language by using its slogans and a language known as Newspeak. The implementation of Newspeak and other manipulations of language were done with the purpose of limiting and distorting the public’s ability to express their thoughts and feelings by eliminating or mutating the meanings of the words necessary to do so.…
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I think those who know me would best describe me as responsible. I am best known for taking care of my business and taking on the position of a leader when it comes to group projects. I have always been taught to never blame other for my shortfall and to always try to learn something positive from my mistakes. This strong mental attitude, along with being the oldest child, has made me aware of the importance in being responsible.…
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Words create thoughts and ideas. These thoughts and ideas are the beginning of change or resolution to a problem. Discussing a problem or speaking your mind can help other people to understand your point of view and possibly change their opinion to your opinion. In Hunger Games Katniss speaks to the crowd candidly and wins them over. If she had not won them over with her words, she would not have gained sponsors, which in turn saved her life later down the line. Her candid words saved her life.…
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In “The Power of Words in Wartime,” a scholarly article written by Robin Tolmach Lakoff, she argues that the way we use words, especially in times of war, alters our perception of the opposing side of the war; also known as our “enemy.” In the article, it is mentioned that names are given to the enemy to make it easier to kill. These names dehumanize the enemy and therefore, we think of them as inhuman. Changing the language during wartime makes the soldiers feel superior, therefore, making it easier to kill the enemy. Lakoff argues that this perception will do harm in the future and is an incorrect way to refer to human beings. She supports her argument by stating examples of nicknames that were given in past wars, and addressing the modern day Abu Ghraib scandal that occurred in Iraq. Lakoff’s intent is to inform people about the problems that occur when using dehumanizing language in order to promote more peaceful actions. Lakoff argues that using this language dehumanizes our enemy, and this language could cause an immense problem in the future. Although, she argues that this language is misused, I disagree with her, because this is a beneficial tool used during wartime, and it is just another tactic used to defeat the…
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