Language as aTool of War
Language as a Tool of War
/Synthesis of “Hiroshima” by John Berger and “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime” by Robin Tolmach Lakoff/ According to Canadian writer Margaret Atwood “War is what happens when language fails.” However, authors John Berger and Robin Lakoff in their essays “Hiroshima” and “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime” both suggest that language, indeed, does not fail, but it is rather a powerful tool of war, used strategically to manipulate opinions and change attitudes. War is an act of violence and terror, no matter how necessary or justified it is being described as; there is no justice in the deaths of innocent people, and trying to cover such cruelty is an even greater crime than war itself. In “Hiroshima” John Berger pictures the reality of the events of August 6, 1945, as seen through the eyes of the victims. The essay is written in 1981, in the light of the potential threat for a third world war. Concerned about the possibility that such “terrorist” acts could happen again, the author pictures the cruel reality of the events in greatest detail possible. His only source is a book called “Unforgettable Fire”, depicting drawings and paintings made by real witnesses to the bombings. Berger was so disturbed by the horrifying scenes depicted, that he clearly states: “These were images of hell”. However, “These terrible images can now release an energy for opposing evil and for the lifelong struggle of that opposition”(Berger). In other words, he hopes that by seeing how horrible the reality was, we shall never let it happen again. “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime” by Robin Lakoff is another journey through history, in which the author talks about the common tradition of using “names” for the enemies in war. It has happened in the past and it is happening today too. “In wartime, language must be created to enable combatants and noncombatants alike to see the other
/Synthesis of “Hiroshima” by John Berger and “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime” by Robin Tolmach Lakoff/ According to Canadian writer Margaret Atwood “War is what happens when language fails.” However, authors John Berger and Robin Lakoff in their essays “Hiroshima” and “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime” both suggest that language, indeed, does not fail, but it is rather a powerful tool of war, used strategically to manipulate opinions and change attitudes. War is an act of violence and terror, no matter how necessary or justified it is being described as; there is no justice in the deaths of innocent people, and trying to cover such cruelty is an even greater crime than war itself. In “Hiroshima” John Berger pictures the reality of the events of August 6, 1945, as seen through the eyes of the victims. The essay is written in 1981, in the light of the potential threat for a third world war. Concerned about the possibility that such “terrorist” acts could happen again, the author pictures the cruel reality of the events in greatest detail possible. His only source is a book called “Unforgettable Fire”, depicting drawings and paintings made by real witnesses to the bombings. Berger was so disturbed by the horrifying scenes depicted, that he clearly states: “These were images of hell”. However, “These terrible images can now release an energy for opposing evil and for the lifelong struggle of that opposition”(Berger). In other words, he hopes that by seeing how horrible the reality was, we shall never let it happen again. “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime” by Robin Lakoff is another journey through history, in which the author talks about the common tradition of using “names” for the enemies in war. It has happened in the past and it is happening today too. “In wartime, language must be created to enable combatants and noncombatants alike to see the other
Cited: John Berger. “Hiroshima”. The Mc-Graw Hill Reader: Issues across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert Muller. New York: McGraw Hill. 2014. 7-13. Print. Robin Tolmach Lakoff. “From Ancient Greece to Iraq, the Power of Words in Wartime”. The Mc-Graw Hill Reader: Issues across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert Muller. New York: McGraw Hill. 2014. 7-13. Print.