Printed Words
This is how Mercier describes the impact of the printed word, and the power of reading in one of his books: 'Anyone who had seen me reading would have compared me to a man dying of thirst who was gulping down some fresh, pure water... Lighting my lamp with extraordinary caution, I threw myself hungrily into the reading. An easy eloquence, effortless and animated, carried me from one page to the next without my noticing it. A clock struck off the hours in the silence of the shadows, and I heard nothing. My lamp began to run out of oil and produced only a pale light, but still I read on. I could not even take out time to raise the wick for fear of interrupting my pleasure. How those new ideas rushed into my brain! How my intelligence adopted them!'
i. How does the passage reflect the immersive nature of reading of Mercier?
ii. Why did Mercier describe himself as a virtual writer?
iii. How did reading influence Mercier's intellectual capacity and his engagement with new concepts? Explain in any two points.
ii. Mercier describes himself as a virtual writer because of his profound connection with the text he reads. The ideas and eloquence of the writing flow effortlessly into his mind, almost as if he is the one creating them. This seamless integration of new ideas into his intelligence makes him feel like an active participant in the writing process, rather than just a passive reader.
iii. Adoption of New Ideas: Mercier describes how new ideas rushed into his brain and how his intelligence adopted them. This indicates that reading significantly expanded his intellectual horizons, allowing him to assimilate and integrate new concepts effortlessly.
Uninterrupted Engagement: Despite the lamp running out of oil, Mercier continues to read without even taking the time to adjust the wick. This shows his deep engagement and the pleasure he derives from reading, which fuels his intellectual curiosity and capacity to absorb new information.