English
The message of Frankenstein has played a significant role in describing the role of the language in the society. In Frankenstein, it is explained that language is one of a special gift to the mankind awarded by the God. It is the language that helps in delivering the thoughts, in communications, in mediations, prayers, and in maintaining the relations in the society (Agha). Moreover, language is also a source of the expression and thinking. As it is described in Frankenstein “I’ve been telling you all along about the importance of language as a theme in this novel, but this is really where it becomes the main focus”. In Frankenstein, the author has conveyed thinking and expression via language, which has helped her in communicating with the reader, and in expressing the thoughts in front of the reader. The reader become aware of the ideas, thoughts, views, and message of Mary Shelly that she want to deliver to the reader, and all this become possible because of the language.
When an individual, living in the society interacts with others, the language plays an important role in the transformation of the society because every individual has its own language that helps him to convey his message (Makihara, and Schieffelin). This can be analyzed from an example given In Frankenstein “In Edgar Rice Burroughs’ original story of Tarzan, the hero acquires language on his own, after the deaths of his parents, by looking at the marks in a book, he describes them as being like insects, and somehow he manages to make the connections”. It is indicating that it is the language of an individual that can deliver its likes and dislike and his opinions to other individuals.
Moreover, language plays an essential role in the society, in a way, that it helps in understanding the behavior of the individuals (Erneling). It also helps in understanding the nature. Its importance can be analyzed from the fact that man would have been deprived of the Holy message of the God and his teachings if there was no communication medium, i.e., language. It was the language that helped in delivering the message of God to the individuals, and the individuals became aware of Divine message and teachings of the God and His prophets. The language has helped individuals in understanding the messages of God, which in turn helped them to have better knowledge about the purpose of the life, so that they can led their lives according to the will and wish of their God.
Moreover, it is the language that helps in the preservation of the past. The historical spoken and the written records, however, help new generations to understand the different patterns of living of the human beings. Language is a representation of the ethnic identity of a community (Haarmann). Moreover, acquisition of the language, particularly the writing and reading abilities help in solving most of the problems prevailing in the society, for example, if an individual is aware of reading and writing he can solve his problems on his own. The same thing is emphasized in Frankenstein “you could make the case that acquiring language, and especially the ability to read and write, is important for its own sake, but it is through his new-found knowledge that the creature hopes to integrate himself into their lives”.
Additionally, language enhances the knowledge of the individuals; it increases the efficiency of the brain, and mind’s intellectual status, because the letters and the words that are used in communicating the message help to explore several new things (Sternberg). It can also be analyzed from Frankenstein that it is actually the power of the words in language that is playing an important role throughout the novel in order to deliver the message of the author, as said in Frankenstein “I’ve talked about the letters before, but they are a key device in this story”. Further, the significance of the language in the society can be analyzed from the fact that if an individual has learned the language of anyone, it indicates that he has conquered half land of the individual whose language was learned.
Further, language is important because it helps in understanding the living style as well as culture of the societies. The customs, traditions, beliefs, and the festivals are indicated by different languages people have adopted in different societies. Moreover, the world would be deprived of the writers, poets, scientists, and the philosophers, if there would be no existence of the language. However, language plays an important role in fulfilling the basic needs of the individuals to live a happy life, and to adopt a responsible attitude towards the life in any society. The poets use language in order to regain their emotional strengths, as indicated in Frankenstein, “Here, Frankenstein uses language – in this case the language of the poets – as a means of recovering his emotional balance after his nervous breakdown”. Further, the words used in language can also pave the way to the emotional instability, such as explained in Frankenstein, “We know that Frankenstein’s recovery is delicate because letters – either writing or receiving them – seem to cause him such emotional turmoil”. But, the biggest fact is that language play an effective role in the service of the mankind.
Language is a source of joy and happiness for individuals, as language provides the freedom of expression to the individuals, Individuals can read, and write freely, can express their joy, and emotions via language, and they can do these acts with complete freedom without any undue pressure from the outside. A person is free to use the appropriate words for delivering his message to the others, and for convincing others to accept his viewpoint. The same thing is, however, emphasized in Frankenstein, “Using language gives freedom and joy to life while withholding it leads to unhappiness and tragedy here, doesn’t it?
In a nutshell, language is a social tool that promotes communication in a society. Language helps in understanding the nature; it helps an individual to explore purpose and the objective of the life. It also provides assistance in understanding the life styles as well as cultures of different societies. Further, language is considered as an answer for sharing the emotions, feelings, beliefs, and ideas with other people living in the society, and to gain more knowledge. Further, language is useful for any important aspect and characteristic of the social structure. If also helps to differentiate people living in different areas. People can be identified from their language because every region has its own particular language, and language is an indication of the ethnic identity of a region or community.
References
Agha, Asif. Language and Social Relations. New York: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print.
Erneling, Christina E. Nderstanding Language Acquisition: The Framework of Learning. New York: Suny, 1993. Print
Haarmann, Harald. Language in Ethnicity: A View of Basic Ecological Relations. Berlin: Mouton De Gruyter, 1986. Print.
Makihara, Miki, and Bambi B Schieffelin. Consequences of Contact Language Ideologies and Sociocultural Transformations in Pacific Societies. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. Print.
Sternberg, Robert J. Thinking and Problem Solving. San Diego: Academic, 1994. Print.
