Here is the first two paragraphs of my paper

The Marriage of Orality and Literacy: Music

            “It is a larger mistake to speak of them as adversaries.  Instead light is an aspect of the prior and enduring state which is darkness.  An so the state of light and the state of dark are present at the same time” (Kane 167).  The complementary idea of existence suggested by Kane could have been seen as a marriage of two “things” which usually are set apart as opposites.  When one looks at the function of literacy and orality in music, the same marriage is born by two different forms of art.

            The idea of a marriage between orality and literacy in music would not have been popular with many philosophers like Plato since some musicians chose to write their songs down.    “Those who use writing will become forgetful, relying on an external resource for what they lack in internal resources.  Writing weakens the mind” (Ong 78).  Music is a form of memory.  Charlie Parker once said, “Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom.  If you don’t live it, it wont come out of your horn.”  This was true from my own experience; my musical journey began with the hope of reliving past pain, happiness, joy and sorrow I had experienced throughout my life.  The idea that I used the technology of writing the song did not destroy my memory of my past events; it enhanced them.  The writing and performance of the songs I had written gave life to my past memories and allowed others to share in the experiences and emotions that I had lived.