Creating Perceptions of Reality Through Words and Experience - Essay Example

Maria Lukanova Prof. Amy Hosig Writing the Essay Tuesday, April 5, Creating Perceptions of Reality through Words and Experience The words that Iown not only show my understanding and knowledge of a specific language. The association with words, definitions and experiences are a part of identity and the one that an individual is able to associate with their understanding of life. More importantly, one is able to define their life by the different associations, changes and the transfiguration of dreams that occur in one’s life. When reflecting on my own life, I am able to associate different definitions, terms and experiences into something that moves beyond definition of words or metaphors and into the realities and experiences that move into a personal depth and set of experiences of life. Doyle’s essay introduces a type of reality by associating with the movement across boundaries by the use of words. He does this by showing how ideas and the definition of how one believes shows in the actions that they take through their life. The learning of words also shows assimilation into the cultures and relationships that we hold with others and the way that we intertwine with the relationships that are portrayed. The beliefs that Doyle presents are able to show how words are more than a definition or term that can be used for intellect or writing. More importantly, the idea of words create an association with a specific moment, belief or action that one holds at a deeper level within their life. Doyle refers to the words that one owns (700) to show the close association with the words that define our identity, who we are, actions that one takes and the descriptions that one leaves in their memories. Doyle proves the concept of identity by using the interchange of the word ‘woo’ into ‘who’, ‘no,’ and other words that are said are first perceived by a child and wife as learning the sounds and phonetics of a word. However, Doyle shows that this is not only important in the learning of words, syllables and the placing together of words. More importantly, there is a relationship to the family and the relationship that each has to the other. Doyle describes the learning of words toward his son, for instance, as a wooing. He then relates this to his wife and the way that they relate to the other. The different experiences that are created through the use of words are able to create a specific perception, experience and relationship to life through given moments. It can be said through the essay, “Yes,” that words are a way of expressing experiences and what is occurring in life. Questioning the words that have created my own experiences and which I use in my life can also be looked at when considering the perspective that Doyle takes. The same association with words that I associate with is saudade, which means not found in Brazilian and Portuguese. The saudade that is experienced is one that can’t be described with a definition from the dictionary or from the learning of pronunciation of the language. The saudade that is experienced is deeper and is inclusive of an experience. When one moves away from their native home and is unable to have the same relationships, experiences or connections, it becomes a saudade. The experience becomes one that moves into homesickness and the inability to continue the relationship that is a part of being at home. Whenever a saudade becomes a part of my vocabulary, longing for home becomes the main thought process. I remember the times when there was a connection in my family over the daily activities and lifestyle. Each of the family members in my home has an instance place in my memories and immediately moves into a space where they are recognized as a memory. The saudade that is described is furthered with the wishes good – bye. I remember the longing as the last wishes were given and as I moved onto the plane. The pulling away that was experienced and the going away from home combined into the final steps of getting on the plane and looking out the window to see the last remnants of what I now consider a set of memories of the past that are often longed for. The words and the language is not only one that is inclusive of a word, but is identified by the moving away from my home, the change in identity that I have taken and the memories that I often associate with and which lead to the saudade that is experienced only by those that move outside of their home. The word saudade is not only one that I refer to because of the deeper experiences that are a part of my memories and going away from home. The Brazilian Portugese language that is used with saudade is one that is closer to my understanding and interpretation. The ethnicity and my personal identity are both closer to the language and the meaning of saudade. At some points, I feel that I can’t translate saudade or show the experience in the English language. The identity that I create is one that refers to my personal identity, memories of home and the way that I relate to my own ethnicity. Saying this word immediately brings a sense of comfort and longing, as well as a close association with the place that I consider as my true home. The memories and the saudade that is experienced is only one of the layers of words and the way in which they shape and describe a person and their life. Like Dillard’s essay, “Transfiguration,” there is also an understanding of how one is able to move from one component of life to another. The metaphor of the moth becomes the main theme as it moves into the light and instantly becomes burned. Like different times of Dillard’s life, there is an understanding of how one move from one dream to another, and while the light of the dream becomes real, it is also leads to the burning of the dream into a reality. The flames of the moth and what is left behind becomes the reality of the dream and is able to form the moving into a light that transforms one into their own death. The only way to stop the transfiguration is to burn out the light and to stop the dream from reoccurring. In Dillard’s case, the burning out of the flame is to stop being a writer and to change outside of being a moth. At one point, Dillard asks if one really wants to become a writer (399). The experience that Dillard associates with shows how her dream of being a writer transfigured into the pains that come with this career and her associations with reality. The dream turns into a burnt flame that only goes out when Dillard turns off the dream. Similar to the experience of saudade, is the understanding of transfiguration in my own life and the way that it has affected my experiences. When getting on the plane to come to America, there was a belief that my transfiguration was to go toward the flame. The experience of transfiguration was furthered by the blanket of warmth that was given to me on the plane to ensure that my flight was comfortable. The transfiguration continued with the champagne bottle that I was given and the way that I was able to move into the façade that I immediately fell into with the flight. I looked at the clouds that were soaring beneath and beside the plane and turned to see the other excited flight attendants that were waiting for their light, dream and destination. The transfiguration that occurred on the plane was one that moved more closely to the light and to the changes that one could go through while meeting their destiny. For me, the light was to go to school and to get a desired education that would provide advancement in my career and life. Like the moth, I had a strong desire to go to the light and to achieve the dreams and accomplishments that I desired. The light that I approached, like the moth, began with the move into college and the different associations that were a part of this. The light that I had seen, just like the moth, had burned me into the realities of college life and the different responsibilities that were a part of this. The management of classes, the business courses I was taking and the approach to school made me question the educational ideologies that I had believed about college. When at home, there was always a sense of accomplishment, with many stating a “congratulations on your acceptance into college.” The congratulations were followed by the idea of accomplishment and success for a future career. However, the question back is one that asks if they know the true meaning of the word saudade and the different complications that are a part of college life and one’s movement from one region to another. The layers that move outside of the congratulations and the belief of success create a different reality and transfiguration into the understanding of education, accomplishment and the saudade and definitions that are a part of this. When reading both Doyle and Dillard, the understanding of realities becomes apparent. In one, the definition of reality is one that is defined by the dreams that turn into reality, similar to the burning of a moth in the light. In Doyle, reality is defined by understanding the true and deeper meanings of words and creating memories and associations with this while living life. Each of the authors show that the realities that one associates with, as well as the definitions that are created through words and experiences, are used to build a definition of who one is. The experiences that I associated specifically with both of the authors are related to the movement away from dreams and into the realities and expectations that are a part of moving into the light of dreams and into the reality of living in a different region of the world for college. The definition that is a part of this time in my journey is based on the sadade that I associate with the transfiguration into a new reality. Read More