Introduction
What is the role of speech (the spoken word) in written literature? This question has been debated for centuries as authors, poets, and other creative minds have tried to find the best way to bridge the gap between spoken and written languages. Amiri Baraka’s essay, “Expressive Language,” is one of the most influential works on this debate and serves as the foundation for this essay. Through an examination of Baraka’s essay and several texts from this semester, this essay will explore the role of speech in written literature.
Language as a Vehicle
Baraka’s essay, which draws from various texts, outlines how the spoken word can be used to create and explore an array of ideas and emotions. Baraka begins by discussing that “language is a vehicle for thought and feeling” (Baraka 3). He argues that language is the primary means of communication and expression and is essential to writing. In his essay “Expressive Language,” Amiri Baraka draws from the works of James Baldwin, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and other writers to illustrate how language can be used to create and explore an array of ideas and emotions. Baraka cites Baldwin’s essay “The Creative Process” to illustrate how language can evoke emotion and communicate ideas. He also argues that language can be used to explore the human condition and communicate ideas in a much more powerful way than the written word. He also cites Gates’s essay “The Significance of Language” to illustrate how the spoken word can be used to create tension and suspense in a story and that it can be used to explore complex ideas and emotions. Baraka also draws from the works of Toni Morrison, Ralph Ellison, Langston Hughes, and Nella Larsen to illustrate how the spoken word can bring a story to life and bridge the gap between cultures. He notes that “the spoken word can be a powerful tool in the creative process” (Baraka 3). He elaborates on this idea by discussing how language can evoke emotion and communicate ideas. He argues that language can be used to paint a vivid picture of a character’s feelings and thoughts and can be used to convey the complexity and depth of an individual’s experience.
Differences between the Written and Spoken Languages
Baraka also discusses the differences between written and spoken languages. He argues that the spoken word can convey various emotions and ideas and is an invaluable tool in writing literature. He argues that the written language is often seen as a “static and sterile” communication. He believes that the written language lacks the emotion and power that can be found in the spoken word. On the other hand, spoken language has a greater capacity to convey emotion and meaning. He explains that written language can convey meaning and emotion, but it is often limited by its lack of sound and other sensory elements. He believes the written language is limited by its lack of intonation, gestures, and facial expressions and thus cannot convey the same emotion and meaning as the spoken word. Baraka argues that to bridge the gap between written and spoken languages, authors must incorporate elements from spoken language into their writing. He suggests that authors use “poetic language.” Amiri Baraka suggests that authors use poetic language unconstrained by the rules of grammar and syntax when writing literature. This style of writing allows for greater freedom of expression and creativity. By forgoing grammar and syntax restrictions, authors can create a unique and expressive style.
Several texts support Baraka’s argument. In Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, specifically, Morrison uses spoken language to bring to life the characters and emotions of the novel. For example, Morrison often uses a dialect unique to the African-American community in her writing. This dialect captures the characters’ emotions and conveys the experience of oppression powerfully. Furthermore, in poems like William Wordsworth’s “The Solitary Reaper” and Emily Dickinson’s “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass,” spoken language is used to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy with the reader. The poems “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass” by Emily Dickinson and “The Solitary Reaper” by William Wordsworth exemplify how spoken language can create a vivid and powerful reading experience. In “A Narrow Fellow in the Grass,” Dickinson uses repetition and colloquialisms to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy with the reader. The repeated phrase “like a finger” helps the reader to empathize with the character’s experience, and the colloquial language helps to bring the character’s emotions to life.
Similarly, in “The Solitary Reaper,” Wordsworth uses repetition and colloquialisms to evoke emotion and create a vivid picture of the character’s experience. The repeated phrase “the melody” helps the reader to understand the character’s feelings, and the colloquial language helps to bring the character’s emotions to life. Using colloquialisms, repetition, and other features of the spoken language, these poems can bring to life the characters’ experiences and evoke powerful emotions in the reader.
Transcending Language Barrier
Amiri Baraka argues that the spoken word has the power to transcend language barriers and bring people together. He draws from the works of Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen, and other writers to illustrate how the spoken word can communicate with people of different backgrounds and cultures. Baraka argues that the spoken word can create a sense of unity and understanding, as it can bridge the gap between cultures and create a sense of understanding and respect. He believes that the spoken word can unite people, as it can be used to communicate with people of different backgrounds and cultures, regardless of language barriers. By using the spoken word, people of different backgrounds and cultures can gain an understanding of each other and create a sense of empathy and respect. Furthermore, Baraka believes that the spoken word can create a sense of connection between cultures and create a sense of understanding and unity.
In conclusion, spoken language plays a massive role in written literature. According to Baraka, the spoken word can elicit feelings, convey concepts, and dissolve cultural barriers. It can build suspense, explore complex concepts and feelings, and make a story come to life. As a result, the spoken word is a priceless tool in literary writing and is crucial to the creative process.
Work Cited
Baraka, Amiri. “Expressive Language.” Poetry Foundation, 8 June 2020, www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69473/expressive-language.
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