Analysis Of Language And Thought By Suzanne K. Langer

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Language is our power and expression is our freedom. Through a puff of air, we are able to communicate and influence the environments that surround us. Over the course of time humans have evolved, but by the means of language, humans have matured into humanity. The possibility of thought and emotions such as empathy show the ability to think with complexity. A crucial element that helps Suzanne K. Langer’s illustrate the essence of humanity throughout her essay “Language and Thought.” Langer thoroughly depicts what sets humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom by explicitly stating “The line between man and beast […] is the language line” (120). Consequently, this implies that if a person is declined the freedom of language they are hardly considered human. Many people around the globe have had their voices silenced due to corrupt governments and the oppression of their culture. These individuals are subjected to the devastating effects of the loss of language, which in turn, translates to the loss of power. Language is our foundation for hopes and opportunity, for with out it a person is shell of possibility that is subjected to a passive existence. This dehumanization is …show more content…

People with an inadequate level of literacy cannot be competitive within society and often struggle to obtain careers and financial stability. Trying to make ends meet, these people are forced down destructive paths, which sooner or later lead to confrontations with the law. In Baca’s case, he was targeted by police numerous times and was wrongfully detained for murder due to his inability to properly explain a gash on his forearm. Furthermore, at age twenty-one Baca was incarcerated for possession of drugs and served over six years in prison. Similar accounts are experienced by minority youth throughout society, for their existence is based solely on

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