Best of Week: Finding a Character's Mind Through Language

In writing, language is paramount. The ideas in an author's head cannot be expressed without carefully selected words to craft an idea into a story. As discussed in class this week, language can also lead the author to discover a character's mind. 

Instead of figuring out a character and then using language to describe it, the language is played around with until the character is discovered. Relating to the question, "Can something come from nothing?" this idea takes small words on paper and webs them together to create a character. 

With this technique, I could learn to write from a different angle. Traditionally, I would try and come up with the perfect character in my mind and then form the language around that. Instead, starting with a few adjectives or thinking about what vocabulary my character would have gives insight into the character's mind. From this approach, I can begin to see inside the mind of an imaginary person. The way language is used in context of the character to show situation, setting, and thought process puts the character in relation to surroundings. The way the sky is viewed by the character shows how the character thinks. An emotional reaction or sparked memory from the sky could lead to insight and wondering about the character's past. 

Outside of writing, looking at a person through their language can reveal more than just what that person is saying. I now know to really focus in on a person's language while they are talking. Speech patterns, vocabulary, tone, and word choice can show what that person is thinking. For example, a stutter and nervous laughs may show a person is uncomfortable, while overuse of fancy words and awkward sentence structure may show a person trying to appear smarter than they really are. 

Language is such a necessary and amazing scope into cognition. This seemingly simple act communicates much more than just words out of mouths or read sentences on white sheets. This form of expression can be used to find out what makes and affects gears turning inside minds. It's even powerful enough to cross reality and be applied to fictional characters (almost with minds of their own).

Change of Mind: Heart of Darkness

I've always understood the concept of uniqueness and individuality, but now, Heart of Darkness flipped a switch in my brain to wrap around just how individual we are. From reading this quote, I had to pause and think.
 

""it is impossible to convey the life sensation of any given epoch of one's existence--- that which makes its truth, its meaning--- its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible, We live, as we dream--- alone.""
 

I became hyper-aware about everything that I was doing. With the first breath I took, I realized that everyone will experience the rush of air into lungs, but I am the only one who will experience the feeling of air through my lungs. Every breath I take is completely unique and unrepeatable. More complex, every thought I have, through winding paths of nerves and stimulants, can never be replicated in anyone else.
 

This opens my eyes to how important expression is. In order to share unique thoughts and feelings, we turn to speech, writing, and arts. With each melodic line played, an invisible string works its way into the listener, pulling and triggering a similar path the player is expressing. From the main river of core understanding in the listener, it can bend and branch out into different interpretations and ideas.
 

Without expression, our lives would be extremely lonely. We can only hope to share emotions and thoughts with other people to connect and weave relationships with. Even the simplest expression of eye contact can fire strong emotions and connections.
 

The essence of moments; that original spark of emotion and thought are something to be cherished as unique in ourselves and to sometimes be shared with others through expression. My mind is opened up to the complexity of simple emotions and the importance of communication from reading Heart of Darkness.