Project E: Communication by https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i How does communication dictate our lives? en-us 2021-11-19 04:29:19 UTC 2026-01-04 09:28:23 UTC hello@padlet.com https://media2.giphy.com/media/SxqtLyr44WYi4/giphy.gif Written by Ted Chiang, Story of Your Life explores the illusion that is language. In the novel, aliens enter Earth’s orbit, and deposit 112 semi-circular devices across the globe. They are audiovisual links to the aliens called Heptapods. Our main character, Dr. Louise Banks is summoned by the U.S. Army to develop communication with the aliens. Banks is a linguist, who with the help of Dr. Gary Donell (a physicist) manage to make contact with two Heptapods. They soon discover that the aliens use two forms of communication, which they name Heptapod A and Heptapod B. Heptapod A is related to speech, while Heptapod B is related to writing--- both are unrelated to eachother. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901336250 2021-11-19 04:41:16 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901336250 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901337071 2021-11-19 04:41:55 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901337071 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901337930 2021-11-19 04:42:34 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901337930 Throughout the story, Louise becomes especially proficient at Heptapod B. She starts to think in Heptapod B and begins to see time as the Heptapods do. She even starts to see glimpses of her future and of the daughter she has yet to have. She is particularly interested on the effects of free will that their language signals. By writing their language simultaneously, it suggests that they know the whole sequence in advance. As such, it might dictate their actions and predict their future, leaving no room for deviation on their path of life. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901353989 2021-11-19 04:54:59 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901353989 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901354756 2021-11-19 04:55:33 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901354756 Upon completing the novel, I came to the realization that language might just be an illusion. I felt that through Chiang’s words, language was no longer the principal method of human communication, but rather an archetype for human decision making. If we were to change our entire interpretation of language, like our protagonist Louise, we would find that it is so much more than a form of communication. Our language dictates our very way of life. We are so focused on speaking and writing sequentially, that our outlook on life is narrowed down to a linear pattern. Even our sense of time is interconnected with our language. Ultimately, I feel like language heavily influences our communication and relationships with others, but this is only because it dictates every other aspect of our lives. Hence, the communication aspect is but a tiny particle, in a universe of possibilities. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901369048 2021-11-19 05:06:11 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901369048 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901369519 2021-11-19 05:06:35 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901369519 In Lingua Franca, there exists a planet whose inhabitants are deaf. They have existed for over many millennia and have flourished as traders across their solar system. However, with the arrival of humanoids from other planets, comes a rapid influx of change. The alien humanoids see their deafness as a disability and recommend they get ear plants. They argue that by doing so, they will be much more prosperous and wealthier. As such, the deaf civilization must decide whether to conform or stay true to their heritage. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901385570 2021-11-19 05:19:05 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901385570 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901389683 2021-11-19 05:22:23 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901389683 Our protagonist, Mist, is mother to Flowers-in-the-Sun. She is a tradeswoman who disagrees with the concept of ear plants. She feels it is an attack on their way of life. She views it as a personal affront to their culture and heritage. The arrival of the humans from earth, created a seemingly irreparable divide on her home planet. We can see through her eyes, the depth of the separation between the deaf humans and those who aren’t or no-longer are. Mist seems content to oppose the implementation of ear implants, as long as she has her relationship with her daughter. However, we soon find out that Flowers-in-the-Sun was implanted against her will and knowledge. This act of betrayal culminated in her definitive resentment for implants. She was no longer able to share a special bond with her daughter, whom she viewed as giving her life. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901419088 2021-11-19 05:48:15 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901419088 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901420043 2021-11-19 05:49:10 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901420043 "Already the children of our village no longer dance to the light at our festivals. They insist on 'Sound-dances,' preferring 'music' to light. They hide their natures, clans, and status. They do not wear their clan colors. Some of our marriageable young girls refuse to wear the courtship tassels. They refuse to give the world knowledge of themselves. It's a perverse game they play. Yesterday, at the beginning of the Mother-Infant Festival, some children insisted on mouth-singing, even though their parents could not understand a word they said. And when they talk, they hide their conversations, imitating the mouth-speakers' mouth-to-ears talk, what the Earthers call" -this she finger-spelled in English-- "'whispers.'” (McDonell, 211) capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901434571 2021-11-19 06:01:41 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901434571 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901435646 2021-11-19 06:02:34 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901435646 I felt this quote was especially important to understanding the divide on earplants. It proved how much had change with the implementation of the devices. The earplants disrupted the very way of life and culture that defined this community for millennia. It foreshadowed what was to soon occur with Mist and Flowers-in-the-Sun. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901438289 2021-11-19 06:04:51 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901438289 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901439296 2021-11-19 06:05:38 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901439296 I felt this quote was important for understanding the scope of the abilities that language and communication has. It clearly depicts that our outlook on life can be changed through language and sequential order. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901442666 2021-11-19 06:08:46 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901442666 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901443869 2021-11-19 06:09:23 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901443869 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901445258 2021-11-19 06:10:24 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901445258 "What if the experience of knowing the future changed a person? What if it evoked a sense of urgency, a sense of obligation to act precisely as she knew she would?" (Chiang, 106) capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901446711 2021-11-19 06:11:48 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901446711 I felt that, by reading this novel, with communication and language comes divide. In this story, there is emphasis on the division between deaf people and those with hearing abilites. However, I feel like this notion applies to all instances of communication. In fact, we even use the term "language barrier" implying a certain impediment. We see throughout the story that this is true, especially when considering how the earth humans view deafness as a disability---or problem that needs to be solved. capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901453807 2021-11-19 06:17:46 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901453807 capriana112 https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901454510 2021-11-19 06:18:20 UTC https://padlet.com/capriana112/w1jouliy4t5caf8i/wish/1901454510