While reading the first three chapters of Orality and Literacy by Walter J. Ong, I was captivated just by starting off with the first chapter. As I continued from the first chapter, I did find difficulty in comprehending Ong’s writings at times. I have to confess I read certain points more than once, but I think I somewhat understood where Ong was coming from, after reading it over and over.
The first chapter, like I said this really sparked my interest! The first chapter Ong introduces Ferdinand de Saussure, who was stated as the father of linguistics. Ong discusses on page five, stating that Saussure saw writing as having ‘usefulness, shortcomings, and dangers.’ I found this appealing to read that the father of linguistics saw writing in this way. I think it shows that he knew the positive sides and negative. Also in chapter one on page seven, Ong discusses how with the three thousand languages that are of existence today only about seventy-eight of those languages have been transferred to literature! I found this so incredible to read! It was almost mind boggling to know there are so many languages from the past and present that we know or may not know about that were never discovered or formed into literature. Ong ends this paragraph by explaining how no one knows of a way to write these languages down. This struck me as somewhat amazing, and crazy at the same time. How did our language come to be? And how did it come to be written down? Just by reading Ong’s first chapter my mind just started to race with questions and thoughts.
Chapter three was packed with information, information that was very intriguing and useful. In the beginning of chapter three Ong discusses his view on “Oral Cultures.” Ong states, “Oral culture is like, that is, a culture with no knowledge whatsoever of writing or even the possibility of writing”(31). No knowledge of or possibility of writing? This is such a difficult concept to grasp. Our culture, our lives, wherever you go we are surrounded by literacy, it’s a part of our lives! Without the ability to read and write, our lives would be difficult. Without the ability to read and write I don’t think we would be where we are today without these fundamental tools. Can you imagine our daily routines without literacy? I don’t think we’d make it very far without it! I could go on and on…But aside from my opinion on the first three chapters..Ong’s writings definitely have opened my eyes and allowed me to consider something’s that I haven’t really thought about.
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