Voice has power. One’s voice can be an agent of change when coupled with two other essential components: golden words and a golden a heart. The power of voice can heal the deepest emotional wounds to help people recover from despair. As Kumalo listens to Msimangu speak to the blind at Ezenzeleni, Kumalo thinks to himself, “And how fools listen to him, silent, enrapt, sighing when he is done, feeding their empty bellies on his empty words” (Paton 124). Despite the fact that Msimangu’s spiritual words promise everlasting bliss only in the afterlife, his speech resonates with his religious audience, inspiring them to continue to persevere against the adversity of their daily lives. By indulging in Msimangu’s words, his followers are able to relinquish their mental burdens even though no solutions are being presented for their immediate problems. Words also have the ability to thaw the icy wall of tension existing between two parties. James Jarvis’s …show more content…
When Kumalo talks to Arthur’s son, he says, “When you go, something bright will go out of Ndotsheni” (282). The brightness inside the young boy refers to his potential. He is curious, precocious, and understanding, yet he is only a child. By not naming the child, Alan Paton obscures the child’s identity, which suggests that anybody could be the bright child that Arthur’s son is. During Kumalo’s vigil at the summit of the Emoyeni mountain, he says, “Ndotsheni is still in darkness, but the light will come there also. For it is the dawn that has come, as it has come for a thousand centuries, never failing” (312). Paton claims that although change is not instantaneous, it is bound to occur and is simply a matter of time. Therefore, when readers experience injustice, they are encouraged to voice their indignation to improve the circumstances because while their voices may fall on deaf ears for a while, they cannot be ignored
Martin Luther King once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” The ability of an individual to express their ideas is vital to the passing of ideas and a world where individuals are encouraged to express their opinions. Expressing such ideas could be in an educational setting or in everyday life. Joy Castro is a writer, who’s writing is primarily non-fiction, short fiction and poetry. Much of her writing is distinguished by personal stories who address many of the topics that have directly impacted her. In her two selections, “Hungry” and “Becoming Educate”, she argues the urgency of allowing people to express their ideas regardless of their gender, socioeconomic status, and in the educational setting.
McMurphy does the same. One of the patients on the ward, known as Chief hid from everyone the fact that he could hear and speak. McMurphy was the one that encouraged Chief to speak for the first time after so many years of silence, when he said, “Thank-you” (Kesey, 1962, p.217). This ultimately healed Chief of his illness. McMurphy’s actions parallel the miracles performed by Jesus.
So many people in modern society have lost their voices. Laryngitis is not the cause of this sad situation-- they silence themselves, and have been doing so for decades. For many, not having a voice is acceptable socially and internally, because it frees them from the responsibility of having to maintain opinions. For Janie Crawford, it was not: she finds her voice among those lost within the pages of Zora Neale Hurston’s famed novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. This dynamic character’s natural intelligence, talent for speaking, and uncommon insights made her the perfect candidate to develop into the outspoken, individual woman she has wanted to be all along.
The experience of being literally heard and understood deeply, in some personally vital sphere, has its own kind of impact- whether of relief, of something at last making sense, a feeling or inner connection or
People in society can have interesting views on issues around the world, these views on society are best conveyed through distinctive voices as it evokes feelings from the listener and allows them to relate to the situation through their own personal experiences.
My sense of self and my understanding of the power of voice constantly shift as I continue to educate myself and learn more about the world and the many cultures that exist within it. Even before I entered the Honors College, I put effort into defining my sense of self differently as my comprehension of the world expanded. When I was young, I defined my sense of self as a member of my family. As I continued to grow, I began to recognize my voice as a member of a larger community. However, Culture & Expression creates a focused, intentional setting in which analyzation and adaptation of self and voice is encouraged. Because of our reading of Antigone, The Symposium, and Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, I persisted in deepening and, at some points, changing my understanding of self and voice.
Words can leave a positive effect on others. An influential speaker will impact his or her audience by the power of the speaker’s words. In her essay, Angelou, describes the speech of Henry Reed, stating “We were then on top again. As always, again. We survived. The depths had been icy and dark, but now a bright sun spoke to our souls” (Angelou, 2015, p.188). The speech reminded Angelou of her culture’s background, allowing her rejuvenation through the words that Henry spoke (Angelou, 2015, p.188). Providing support for an individual allows him or her to reach beyond the limitations
All parts of the world come to a balance and harmony. The voices represent guidance of Siddhartha’s way of seeking for enlightenment. When Siddhartha meditate by the river, he listens to the voices and learns from them. The voices do not teach Siddhartha what enlightenment is but leads Siddhartha’s thoughts to feel and comprehend the oneness and the infinity of the
When placed in the wrong hands, however, this power can just as easily destroy as create. For good or for bad, speech has its influence on the lives of the ordinary, and can influence the entire world when it is is truly
Milarepa’s captivating life story depicts a man willing to commit sins on behalf of his mother’s command to one that decides to leave his family, in order to achieve enlightenment. This autobiography allows him to remain to be a beloved yogin because of his drastic and fulfilling spiritual transformation, thus encouraging Tibetans to seek a similar path to nirvana in their lifetime. However, Milarepa proves that one’s journey to liberation and enlightenment has to be earned and fought for spiritually and psychologically.
In Kapferer’s analysis of exorcism, the crucial action required from the audience it to give full attention to the ritual – in other words, to make the sick ones realize that they and their sickness is being noticed, that they are not alone (Kapferer, 168). The broader form of such behavior is shown in Amma’s healing space. The absolute lack of privacy enforces interactions between the patients, who are becoming aware that their problems are not unique nor impossible to solve. (Flueckiger, 27). Quite oppositely, even the courtyard is the space of healing, with other patients offering advice and possible solutions. Moreover, the awareness that one’s problem is not unsolvable contributes to whether the patient is willing to undertake the treatment in the first place. The lack of alienation in pursuing the cure or improvement is particularly noticeable in crowds which are gathering in Kalahasti temple in order to find relief from Naga Dosham (Allocco, Lecture). In face of masses of visitors on the daily basis, women don’t have to hide with their infertility, therefore they are more eager to fight it rather than simply accept it. This behavior is direct equivalent of group meetings in psychotherapy. The knowledge of being noticeable gives a sick person a power to start and then to continue their treatment, without being afraid of being
In The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh provides a citation from the Buddha, which gives insight into the cure of our distress. “I teach only suffering and the transformation of suffering” (Thich Nhat
Regardless of how a child acts towards their parents, all that matters in the end is their unconditional love for them. However, the time it takes for them to express their gratitude will depend on each child. In the novel The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri demonstrates this, describing the life of a young boy named Gogol and his continually progressing relationship with his mother. It demonstrates that a child is unable to view his or her parents as a human being until the parent figure experiences a traumatic event that allows the child to empathize with their parents.
We are blessed to live in a country where our voices can be heard. “Words have power, words are power” Qahtani Mohammed. Let’s all use our power to redefine reality
His book details many examples of his theory and how it has helped many people improve their life, survive tragedies, as well as documents how it kept him alive throughout three years of physical and mental suffering while imprisoned. He also discusses how to find the meaning in one’s life as well as the tribulations that he and others went through once liberated.