The Impact of Writing on Social Change
At times, we feel helpless as individuals to influence the course of politics through our single vote. We shake our heads in frustration over the decay of moral values; a condition which spreads like a disease and infects our culture. The insatiable greed of our corporations conspires to topple our society as we sit by powerless to intervene. Our civilization awaits the hope and direction that can be provided by effective writing.
There can be no doubt that throughout the history of the written word, the writer has been a profound influence for social change. Our impotence as individuals is defeated by our ability to give voice to ethical alternatives of unprincipled behavior.
The world owes much to Aesop, born a slave in 620 BC, who created fables which were immortalized in writing by the scholars of ancient Greece. These fables contained moral lessons which are still valued today. Two hundred years later, Greece gave us Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who are credited with being the architects of Western Civilization through their writings on politics, philosophy, logic and ethics.
Through expert composition, William Shakespeare delighted the English court and populace while lacing his plays and sonnets with lessons of morality and the perils of exhibiting a weak character. Amidst the heartache and laughter ran a principled integrity that conveyed lessons that still linger today, though written in the late 1500's.
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" written in 1831 and "Les Miserables" in 1862 were novels by Victor Hugo who was a staunch advocate for human rights in France and around the world. His contemporary, Alexandre Dumas wrote "The Count of Monte Cristo" in 1845, decrying the treatment of prisoners in France's infamous island prison Chateau D'If, which is featured in this compelling story of revenge.
Thomas Paine's book "Common Sense" was published in 1776 and spoke of independence from tyranny and the rights of individuals. Charles Dickens in the mid 1800's wrote novels that glorified the value of compassion over self interest, and helped to influence more ethical treatment of the poor.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852, brought much needed attention to the curse of slavery in America. The essay "Civil Disobedience", written in 1849 by Henry David Thoreau is a classic that chronicles the need to control government by questioning its immoral decisions.
Not all social change is without its controversy as was the case for Charles Darwin's "Origin of the Species" which in 1859 presented a case for natural selection over creationism; a topic which is still hotly debated today. Some writing that affects societal change causes conflict, but nevertheless brings to bear another point of view which can be examined and discarded if necessary. Examples of these important yet potentially damaging books are Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto" written in 1848 and Adolph Hitler's "Mein Kamph" which he dictated while he was in prison in 1924.
More contemporary authors, such as George Orwell, the author of "1984" which was published in 1949, and Ray Bradbury, the author of "Fahrenheit 451" which was published in 1953, warn of governmental mistreatment and the tendencies we have as humans to unjustly exert control over others.
Perhaps one of the more influential novels in this writer's opinion is "Lord of the Flies" by Nobel Prize winning author William Golding which was published in 1954. The novel delves deeply into man's propensity for cruelty when left to his own devices. Close on its heels "To Kill a Mockingbird" written in 1960 by Harper Lee, speaks of the racial injustice rampant in the early twentieth century American South, and won the author a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
There are ways to influence change through writing other than writing books however. Ted Sorenson, who was the primary speech writer for John F. Kennedy has been a tremendous inspiration with his words which will echo through history as some of the most memorable of all time.
Would we have the same outlook on life without the classic speeches of Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, and Abraham Lincoln?
When faced with brilliant examples of literature and journalism that inspire the enhancement of our society, the casual writer may be discouraged about his or her ability to add to what has come before. In reality, our society is a flexible and accommodating entity, which can develop in the wrong direction without the constant monitoring of concerned citizens.
The gift we are given as writers to express new ideas, and to gently admonish through the skillful manipulation of language, is one which rightly challenges the conscience of Man.
Whether it is in a documentary, a novel, a speech, or simply an opinion in the local newspaper, writers can have a positive influence on society. The opportunity is there to defeat the apathy and corruption that plague our civilization; bringing to light that which strains for the darkness. To ignore this opportunity and deny our responsibility negates the very purpose of our calling. Embracing this outlook helps us to realize that we really can make a difference.
http://www.aesopandtheceo.com/ pages/funfaq.html
http://www.zeroland.co.nz/auth ors.html
http://www.literaturepage.com/
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ literature.aspx
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