The Absence of Speech-The Economy of Words

"My hesitancy in speech, which was once an annoyance, is now a pleasure. Its greatest benefit has been that it has taught me the economy of words. I have naturally formed the habit of restraining my thoughts...Experience has taught me that silence is part of the spiritual discipline of a votary of truth. Proneness to exaggerate, to suppress or modify the truth, wittingly or unwittingly, is a natural weakness of man and silence is necessary in order to surmount it...My shyness has been in reality my shield and buckler. It has allowed me to grow. It has helped me in my discernment of truth" (Gandhi 62)

In modern society, shyness and reticence is often frowned upon. We are encouraged to speak up and express ourselves freely, and at times, quite excessively. In doing so, much of the time, we lose track of the premise of our vocality. When one proceeds to speak without much thought, much of what is divulged is inept and vacuous. Gandhi had the rare ability to filter all thoughts and perceptions before proceeding with speech. This allowed him to be concise with all that he had to articulate. Speaking prematurely can at times lead oneself to regret certain aspects of their utterance. Silence allowed Gandhi to gain a better grasp of his faith. Internalizing his thoughts and inclinations led to the distinctive actions against the injustice of the Indian people that he is most admired for. It was Gandhi's carefully crafted words as well as his firm belief in nonviolence that truly inspired civil movements not only in India, but all across the globe.

Assignment 2: The Creature that is Literature

"The literary writer isn't giving information, either about a subject or about his state of mind: he's trying to let something take on its own form, whether it's a poem or play or novel or whatever...The writer of literature can only write out what takes shape in his mind." (p. 24)

Here Frye makes an interesting revelation in regards to the origin and manner in which literature is created. He personifies literature, describing it as a creature that is brought about from the visionary's own mind. It exudes into life, at times unexpectedly, taking the writer by surprise. When you set out to write, it is impossible to plan exactly what you are going to write-you can have the initial notion, but that idea is nurtured, refined and aggrandized on its own accord. It is almost as if literature is an art; in small segments it is random, but in totality and as a unit it is precisely sculpted. Unlike in science, their is a profusion of answers that each make total sense and that take on their "own form" as they are developed. In fact as I have written my above comments, it feels as if everything just fit together like a puzzle..

Assignment 1: The Human Society

“One person by himself is not a complete human being…” (p.6)

In stating this, Frye affirms that a sole individual is not a true human being. What makes him one are the countless influences upon him, particularly other human relationships. At times, one may feel that they can function independent of everything and everybody around them, but you must realize that much more can get accomplished by working with others. Frye believes that to be "complete" you must be a part of a larger assemblage-a society. For it is our interactions with others as well as our reactions to others that incite the senses and broaden the mind. Alone, you can only get so far, together, the possibilities are limitless. I believe that as humans, we have a tendency to be quite individualistic in our approach to learning and higher education. We don't realize that concrete ideas are brought into the limelight when we culminate our work and ideas as one. I agree with Frye's statement, as one has not lived life to the brim if they have not established bonds in their lifetime. How can one learn simply from themselves, by themselves? In a solitary world, there would be no mistakes, no corrections, or no clashes of opinions. As McCullough points out, "learning is acquired mainly from books." Books conceived by a panoply of human beings, who have acquired knowledge and learned the art of literature from past writers, and who will also pass on their acumen to future generations.