Chomsky argued that the basics of language are ingrained in all of us; that our ability to use grammar is pre-programed into us when we are born and we can process grammar from the beginning and the only thing we need to learn is vocabulary.
2. What do you make of Chomsky's bird argument on p. 36?
It makes sense that you wouldn't fly if you were raised by birds, but language is entirely different. Walking and talking are very different processes. One is a noise while the other is a movement.
3. Do you agree with Chomsky's claim about the island at the end of Chapter 7? Please explain your answer.
To some extent, due to the fact that we did develop language ourselves because there were pre-linguistic humans, and now we have many languages.
4. In Chapter 10, why were Genie's observers pleased to see her hitting other children?
Because it was her first sign of outside interaction; she was finally interacting with other children. She was turning her anger outward, no longer keeping it pent up inside herself. This was seen as encouraging by her therapists, as she was finally interacting with the outside world.
5. Describe how Genie's language was developing.
Genie's language was developing rather well in that she could understand an encouraging amount, but was having trouble actually saying things. Her vocabulary (what she could say) was limited due to her extensive solitary confinement and limited development of her vocal cords. After a while, it became clear to the doctors that she would never be able to fully develop a vocabulary akin to an average person's.
6. After reading Chapter 11, what are the primary differences between the reading and the film?
The main deference is that the film ends on a more positive note, as if they really will be able to teach Victor how to speak and interact, while the reading seems to be less optimistic and seems to suggest they will never be able to fully teach Genie or Victor how to speak.
7. How did the film, Wild Child impact the symposium members? What is meant by: "all of us saw in the movie what we were prepared to see to confirm to our own biases."?
They each saw in the movie what they wanted to see; that no matter what happened during the movie, they saw it as justification of what they think is going to happen. Each one of them saw the movie as confirmation of what they already believed; they primed themselves to react in a certain way and they did react that way.
8. What do you think of Dr. Elkind's quote on p. 59? How do you feel about Dr. Freedman's suggestion on p. 59-61.
I think it has merit, because if everything was dependent on language than Genie would not end up understanding true emotions. She may start to connect everything with the langauge and nothing with actions, and completely focus on langugae and completely look over anything else.
9. Why was it important for Itard to teach Vistor to "imagine the needs of others (p. 73)"? Does CAS do this? Why or why not?
He wanted to teach him that other people mattered, and wanted him to be able to feel sorry for other people, so he could begin to feel emotions and actually think like a human being. I don't think CAS does this, because, by this point, you either care about others or you don't.
10. After reading Chapter 14, do you agree that Truffaut's film ending was too optimistic?I agree that it was to optomistic, but you have to take in the fact it was a movie, and most movies have optomistic endings, especially in the early 70's, unless it was a war movie. Most films don't want to be seen as pessimistic, and so, as is usual with movies in general, the ending is too optomistic.
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