Terministic Screen in Relation to other Texts

As I read Burke's "Terministic Screens," I drew many connections to other texts we have read this semester. Particularly it reminded me much of the segment about the limitations of language and when and how it fails. Burke says, "... can we bring ourselves to realize just how overwhelmingly much of what we mean by 'reality' has been built up for us through nothing but our symbol systems?" (Burke 48). Later he explains that "any observation of a physicist must necessarily be stated within the resources and embarrassments of man-made terminologies" (Burke 50). In this way, Burke expresses that language is limited in helping us express a full spectrum of ideas.

Furthermore, I especially couldn't help making connections to heteroglossia. The way in which terministic screens direct the attention reminds me of heteroglossia.

"Must we merely resign ourselves to an endless catalogue of terministic screens, each of which can be valued for the light it throws upon the human animal, yet none of which can be considered central? In one sense, yes. For, strictly speaking, there will be as many different world views in human history as there are people. We can safely take it for granted that no one's 'personal equations' are quite identical with anyone else's... each man is 'necessarily free' to be his own tyrant, inexorably imposing upon himself the peculiar combination of insights associated with his peculiar combination of experiences" (Burke 52).

The idea of terministic screens is similar to heteroglossia in that each person interprets language and the world around us differently. With terministic screens, people direct the attention to their own understandings.

This is nerdy, but I find it exciting to see how easily connections can be made between the texts. I suppose these authors are observing similar circumstances and expressing them in different lights. I really do see the force of "terministic screens" at play in life, just as I do heteroglossia. It's neat to see how this course is actually affecting the way I understand language and interpretation. Thanks Burke and friends ;)