ARTIFICES OF LANGUAGE

How Artifices of Language Leads to False Expectations?

How Artifices of Language Leads to False Expectations?

Introduction

One of the widely discussed and acknowledge fact is that language is what makes us human. The definition of being human can also be extracted with increasing the understanding regarding the use of language, how does it work, and how it can used or misused. This study in connection to further deepen the understanding regarding the language will review the artifices of language and will attempt to determine how it will lead to the development of false expectations. Artifices in language is used to leave the receiver of the message in dilemma of what sense does the communicate message means. The use of artifices in communication is more common when it comes to diplomacy, so that message with two or more than two meaning will be proven beneficial to leave the receiver in skeptical condition. Artifices in language are also used to create delusion and receiver of the message is open to extract the desired meaning of the conveyed message (Massard & Bajac, 2007).

In context of the above discussion, this study will attempt to answer the question, how artifices of language lead to false expectations? To keep the discussion focused and objective, three literary works (Paradise Lost, The Poisonwood Bible and Heart of Darkness) are used so that the use of artifices can be identified in an orderly manner.

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost is the poem considered one of the best literary works of English language. The poem theme is related to the Bible story of the Fall of a Man. The first edition of John Milton's poem Paradise lost was first published in 1668, which in fact was a time when the world of English language and literature has produced many great novelists and poem writers (Milton, 1905).

The poem justifies the ways to God to men, however at many points in the verses of the poem the jargons of English language has been used too tactically that leads to the development of false expectations regarding the poem that it is merely an excerpt of the Bible (Milton, 1905). Paradise Lost hooks the reader with the use of artifice in different verses. In fact, every verse of the writer can be define from different viewpoints, thus it creates delusion and leads to false expectations (Massard & Bajac, 2007). Every reader perceives the poem in a different way and drive a personal meaning which develops expectations with the literature as per personal judgment.

The Poisonwood Bible

The masterpiece of Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible is the story of missionary family, who moved to Belgian Congo from Georgia, United States. Nathan Price along with his family moves to this new destination. This novel is divided into seven different sections, each addressing different concerns and narrated by the five women of the family of Price. The seven different sections of the novel include Genesis, The Revelation, The Judges, The Bel and the Serpent, Exodus, Song of the Three Children ...