In China Mieville’s Embassytown,
speech is presented in a whole new context through the use of a fictional race
of beings known as “Hosts”. The work slowly develops lying as an impossible act
for the Hosts that some can only attempt to mimic. By the works conclusion however,
lying and its role in the Host culture is completely changed.
The Hosts’ Language is comprised of absolute truth, so the
introduction of their contact with lying and attempts to lie at the “Festival
of Lies” gives readers a sense of how they react to untruth. “One at a time
every Ambassador lied. The Hosts grew boisterous in a fashion I’d never seen,
then to my alarm seemed intoxicated, literally lie-drunk” (84). In this
instance, the Hosts become “lie-drunk” through hearing the Ambassadors take
turns telling simple lies. Early in the work it is clear that while they
struggle with attempting to lie, the Hosts are clearly affected by hearing lies
told.
The effects of lying to the Hosts are manifested even
further with the arrival of a new ambassador named EzRa. Because EzRa is unlike
the other ambassadors and not a pair of “mentally unified” clones, the Hosts understand
his speech but it also has an effect similar to lying. “[EzRa’s speech] is
impossible, is what. Right there in its form. And that is intoxicating. And
[the Hosts] mainline it. It’s like a hallucination, a there-not-there. A
contradiction that gets them high…Oratees are addicts. Strung out on an
Ambassador’s Language” (169). Although what EzRa says may not be an actual lie,
the sheer fact two non-connected beings are speaking to the Hosts in their
language as one person is enough to produce a physical and psychological
addiction for the Hosts. Soon after, the Hosts become addicted and the
residents of Embassytown begin to “track their biorhythms” and “gauge how badly
the drug of speech was needed” (179).
In the climax of the novel, lying is not only used to drug
the Hosts, but also to change their understanding of Language forever. Avice is
able to teach a Host how to transform a simile into a metaphor, thus giving it
the ability to theoretically lie. “…thought and word were separated…there was
no succulence, no titillating impossible. No mystery. Where Language had been
there was only language: signifying sound” (310). After the Host comprehends
that speaking doesn’t need to be absolute truth but rather a form of “signifying
sound”, its mind is changed and the addiction of contradictory speech is cured.
The Hosts ability to speak absolute truth is forgotten, but an entirely new
state of mind is gained. Whether or not it is in the best interests of the
Hosts’ culture and way of life, we do not know…
After the discussion in class, it was agreed upon that the real-world equivalent for the god-drug was money. However, it is important to consider the effects lying and lies have on modern society and the addiction to money. Under the correct circumstances, lying can be seen as something that enables an addiction to money.
ReplyDeleteA certain form of the state of being “lie-drunk” already occurs. There is a phenomenon that is studied in psychology: sometimes a lie is told so whole-heartedly or it is repeated enough times that it becomes the truth. Just as it does throughout Embassytown, lies completely revolutionize the way people think and live.
The Hosts go through an evolutionary process similar to the one human children go through. At the beginning, both can only comprehend or see the truth. However, as time goes on and with continuous exposure to lies, both start to utilize lies themselves. In both instances, the long-term effects are clearly evident. For the Hosts, their method of communication is completely revolutionized as the old way of only speaking absolute truth quickly fades away. Similar changes occur in the communication behaviors of children in modern society. An increase in the use of lies is clearly evident.
However, it is important to note that for children, it sometimes becomes a way to get ahead in life. In our society, money is absolutely seen as a way to do that. Any number of examples can be found of when deceit leads to financial gains. Therefore, it is important to consider effects of lying not only in terms of how it changes communication, and whether or not it is for the best, but also in terms of long-term effects outside the realm of communication.