Havelock: The Coming of Literate Communication to Western Culture

I found the Havelock article very interesting, if only for the discussion of the creation of the written word - something that at this point we take entirely for granted, and don't think twice about. I found Havelock very poignant during his discussion that, "Human culture is a creation of human communication." How true - for what would we be without the ability to communicate with one another? The idea that prior oral tradition had to be rythmic and mythical is to say that it had to be altered and shoved into a box that it may not have fit well in. To think that stories, fables, and even histories had to be told in an artsy and creative way is lovely, but not very realistic today, for we know that sometimes these subjects are rather boring and uninspiring, but must be recited or recorded for communication and preservation. In essence, as Havelock notes, "Vocabulary and syntax had been controlled by the pressure to memorize." In opening the door for more concrete expression, the Greeks began a movement wherein expression, communication, and literature was opened up with the potential to be shared, enjoyed, and criticized by a wide population.