When
choosing a topic, I always like to relate it to something we have done in
class. The most recent subject we discussed was the use of language in Brave New World. Of course, we were assuming that “language”
was spoken language, but I thought of another kind. Music. Ever heard of the saying “music is the universal language?”
Well I have, and I can confirm that it’s true. Music is a way of expression,
and all the things we said about words apply to notes.
When
I listen to a piece, I like to close my eyes (I listen to classical music). When I do, I begin to feel the emotion
that the composer put into the song. Under each note is a tear, or a smile, or
a sigh. The music affects me, even “pierces” me “like an X-ray.” The same goes
for when I play my instrument. I don’t know about other musicians, but on a stressful
day I like to pick up my violin and play because I can let all the anger, anxiety,
or stress out. Maybe that’s what writers do. Maybe, on a particularly stressful
day, Aldous Huxley began writing what would be Brave New World.
Music
is universal. Every single person in the
world understands and loves some type music. As I mentioned before, I like
listening to classical music. However, I am aware that most of my peers do not.
This is the beauty of music. There is one kind of music for every person in the
world. Different kinds of music appeal to different kinds of people. The same can be said about writing: Shakespeare
spoke to John, but personally, Shakespeare is incomprehensible to me. There are
different styles of writing and different types of books, just like there are
different styles of music.
According
to Huxley, language influences our behaviors and thoughts, but I believe that
music has an even greater role in shaping us. When we write, we use a part of
our brain called the frontal lobe. But when we listen to music, more than five
parts of our brain* are affected! As a
result, music can actually make us happy. Smithsonianmag.com states that “Experiments
have shown that our brains’ reaction to hearing favorite music closely
resembles what happens after we take psychoactive drugs, eat good food, or even
have sex.” This brings me to my next connection to Brave New World. In a world where everything is done to make people
happy, a drug (soma) exists, promiscuity is encouraged, and synthetic music devices are used. Maybe
it was unintentional, but Huxley hints to the power of music, just as much as
he hints to the power of language.
*Cerebellum,
Forebrain, Nucleus, Accumbus, Ventral Tegmental, and Medical pre-Frontal cortex.
Works Cited
Stromberg, Joseph. "Revealed: The Part of Our Brains That Makes Us Like New Music."Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian, 11 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Sept. 2013.
Oceane, I really enjoyed reading this response. As a musician and music lover, I can relate to many of the amazing sensations you write about. I also agree that music is a universal language.
ReplyDeleteThanks Oceane. This post is great. I am so jealous of you and your peers - like Rebekah - who are musicians. I don't think I have ever typed, or read, a word on my computer without being hooked up to some kind of music. I am listening to Dave Matthew's "Gravedigger" right now. I agree with you and Rebekah that music is universal, and like you write, this does not mean that we all necessarily like the same types of music. We don't even have to be musicians to like music.
ReplyDeleteI thought I would share a quick comment I remember a college professor of mine making. I think it is interesting that you draw some connections between music, Shakespeare, and the stimulation we receive from drugs. My Shakespeare professor in college told us once that she received the same stimulation from reading Shakespeare as many people receive from drugs. She was serious. I have always remembered that. I confess that reading a good piece of literature often brings me a similar exhilaration.
You are quickly distinguishing yourself as an amazingly gifted writer. Please continue to challenge yourself. Next time you have the opportunity to do a "free write," try writing with a different stylistic or narrative approach. Your writing is very engaging. I want you to keep trying new things.