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Walter J. Ong's 'Orality and Literacy' is a foundational exploration of how the shift from oral to written culture transformed human consciousness. This Routledge Classics edition presents Ong's influential thesis that writing and print are technologies that restructure thought itself, making it essential reading for students of media, literature, anthropology, and communication.
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About Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word
In this seminal work, Walter J. Ong examines the profound differences between oral and literate cultures, arguing that the invention of writing—and later print—fundamentally altered human cognition. Drawing on anthropology, literary theory, and media studies, Ong explores how oral cultures rely on formulaic expression, memory, and communal participation, while literate cultures develop abstract, analytic, and individualistic modes of thought. He traces the evolution from primary orality through chirographic (writing) and typographic (print) cultures to the electronic age, showing how each stage reshapes consciousness. Ong's concept of 'secondary orality'—the oral-like culture created by electronic media—remains strikingly relevant today. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new foreword, making Ong's dense but rewarding prose accessible to contemporary readers. The book is a cornerstone of media ecology and a key text for understanding the technological shaping of the word.
Who should read Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word?
This book is essential for students and scholars of media studies, communication, anthropology, literature, and philosophy. It suits readers interested in how technology shapes thought, the history of writing, and the transition from oral to literate cultures. Teachers of rhetoric and composition will find it valuable for understanding the cognitive effects of literacy. Anyone curious about the deep roots of today's digital 'secondary orality' will appreciate Ong's prescient analysis. It is also appropriate for advanced undergraduates and graduate students across the humanities and social sciences.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Groundbreaking theoretical framework that connects media, technology, and consciousness
- ✓ Written by a leading scholar in media ecology and Renaissance literature
- ✓ Provides historical depth from primary orality to electronic culture
- ✓ Includes a new foreword that contextualizes Ong's work for modern readers
- ✓ Highly influential across multiple disciplines, from anthropology to literary studies
Cons
- ✗ Dense and academic prose that can be challenging for general readers
- ✗ Assumes some familiarity with literary and anthropological theory
- ✗ Some examples and arguments reflect the scholarly context of the 1980s
- ✗ Limited direct engagement with non-Western oral traditions in depth
- ✗ The Routledge Classics edition may lack extensive updated commentary beyond the foreword
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Frequently asked questions
What is the main argument of 'Orality and Literacy'?
Ong argues that oral and literate cultures think differently, and that writing and print are technologies that restructure human consciousness, moving societies from formulaic, communal thought to abstract, analytic, and individualistic modes.
Is this book suitable for undergraduates?
Yes, it is commonly assigned in undergraduate courses in media studies, communication, and literature, though the prose is dense and benefits from guided discussion.
What is 'secondary orality'?
Ong coined 'secondary orality' to describe the oral-like culture created by electronic media such as radio, television, and the internet, which shares features with primary oral cultures but is built on literacy and technology.
Does this edition include any new material?
The Routledge Classics edition includes a new foreword that introduces Ong's work and its continued relevance, though the main text remains the original.
Is this book only about oral cultures?
No, it covers the transition from primary orality to writing, print, and electronic culture, examining how each stage shapes thought and expression.
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