What role do language and stories play in our lives? There are two readings that can give us some inspiration. Starting with Min Jin Lee’s article “A Lifetime of Reading Taught Min Jin Lee How to Write About Her Immigrant World,” the author tells us about the impact of reading on her growth. Whenever she faces challenges in her life, all she wants is to read — to gain power from language and stories. In Lera Boroditsky’s TED Talk “How Language Shapes the Way We Think,” she discusses the beauty of linguistic diversity — a wide variety of different languages and stories allow us to think in a different way. In a sense, language and stories not only make us strong and mentally mature but also allow us to think differently and be creative.
First of all, we can get more robust and more mature through language and stories. From reading Min Jin Lee’s article “A Lifetime of Reading Taught Min Jin Lee How to Write About Her Immigrant World,” we learn that life is like chocolates, sweet and bitter. When encountering something unpleasant in our lives, we can gain strength through language and stories. Min Jin Lee indicates that “I returned to the books, which I thought might free me from the anguish of needing love and acceptance. I would learn more and then be less vulnerable to heartache, to any of life’s disappointments” (“A Lifetime”). In other words, she read not to escape life, but for life not to escape her. Books are like friends who are willing to listen to our stories, at the same time, use stories to inspire us to grow and make us mentally stronger. During Min Jin Lee’s difficult years, she escaped pain through reading — the language and stories helped her grow and mature her mind.
Also, language and stories can help us think outside the box and become innovative and creative people. Lera Boroditsky states in her speech, “I’ve told you about how speakers of different languages think differently, but of course, that’s not about how people elsewhere think. It’s about how you think. It’s how the language that you speak shapes the way that you think. And that gives you the opportunity to ask, ‘Why do I think the way that I do?’ ‘How could I think differently?’ And also, ‘What thoughts do I wish to create?’” (“How Language”). By telling different stories about language, Lera Boroditsky inspires us to think differently and think about what we aspire to create. In a sense, complex and flexible language is the thing that sets human beings apart from other species. The importance of language is that it allows us to think and create stories. What’s more, we can use language and imagination to create new worlds and possibilities.
In summary, language and stories play an essential role in our lives. On the one hand, they help us thrive and develop a mature mind; on the other hand, they can help us think in a different way and be imaginative. It is necessary for us to learn to feel the charm of language and the meaning behind each story to become a more powerful and mature version of ourselves. Furthermore, language and stories allow us to foster creativity and imagination so that we can tell and create more meaningful stories to make the world a better place.
Works Cited:
Boroditsky, Lera. “How language shapes the way we think.” TED, Oct. 2017,
https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think.
Accessed 16 May 2022.
Lee, Min Jin. “A Lifetime of Reading Taught Min Jin Lee How to Write about Her Immigrant
World.” The New York Times, 7 Apr. 2021,
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/books/review/min-jin-lee-writer.html. Accessed
16 May 2022.
Final Essay Exam Directions:
For the final essay, you will be asked to read three questions carefully and then choose only ONE question to answer. You will then write a thesis-centered essay of at least 500 words in response to this one question using direct quotations from “A Lifetime of Reading Taught Min Jin Lee How to Write About Her Immigrant World” by Min Jin Lee and “How Language Shapes the Way We Think” by Lera Boroditsky to support your writing.
Remember to:
While you can also use your own observations and experiences to develop your claims, the Boroditsky and the Lee readings must be the primary source for development.
Discuss how the citations and ideas are relevant to your thesis.