In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Anzaldúa demonstrates how language and culture are crucial parts in conveying her identity. Anzaldúa uses her personal experiences to demonstrate how society has limited her speech due to her dissimilar nationality. Throughout her essay, Anzaldúa emphasizes how people have to conform in order to survive in society and to gain people’s acceptance.
Anzaldúa introduces the story with her trip to the dentist. While at the dentist, Anzaldúa is forced to “control” her tongue; however, her effort failed when she tries to hold back her tongue. The introduction acts as a metaphor to the rest of the story of how she tries to assimilate to new languages while keeping her own native language.
Anzaldúa’s first incident …show more content…
Other ethnic groups such as the Chicanas—people who grew up speaking Chicano Spanish—”have internalized the belief that we speak poor Spanish”(39). Moreover, the influence from a dominant culture brought new conflicts to Spanish speakers as Spanglish is growing more popular. Spanglish is a mix of Spanish and English, and as it grows common, traditions and culture of the old language dies. United States is seen as a dominant country, which allows the English language to prosper as a universal language: “By the end of this century English, and not Spanish, will be the mother tongue of most Chicanos and Latinos”(39).
In order to save the dying language, Anzaldúa takes risks of integrating Chicano culture and traditions in student’s school work. Anzaldúa demonstrates how language makes up her identity when she performs an illicit act: “At the risk of being fired, I sword my students to secrecy and slipped in Chicano short stories, poems, a play”(40). With efforts of spreading the language, Chicano “knows how to survive. When other races have given up”(44). Anzaldúa stresses how language is a vital piece of her identity, and when it is not communicated between people, a whole culture would seize from
Anzaldúa introduces the story with her trip to the dentist. While at the dentist, Anzaldúa is forced to “control” her tongue; however, her effort failed when she tries to hold back her tongue. The introduction acts as a metaphor to the rest of the story of how she tries to assimilate to new languages while keeping her own native language.
Anzaldúa’s first incident …show more content…
Other ethnic groups such as the Chicanas—people who grew up speaking Chicano Spanish—”have internalized the belief that we speak poor Spanish”(39). Moreover, the influence from a dominant culture brought new conflicts to Spanish speakers as Spanglish is growing more popular. Spanglish is a mix of Spanish and English, and as it grows common, traditions and culture of the old language dies. United States is seen as a dominant country, which allows the English language to prosper as a universal language: “By the end of this century English, and not Spanish, will be the mother tongue of most Chicanos and Latinos”(39).
In order to save the dying language, Anzaldúa takes risks of integrating Chicano culture and traditions in student’s school work. Anzaldúa demonstrates how language makes up her identity when she performs an illicit act: “At the risk of being fired, I sword my students to secrecy and slipped in Chicano short stories, poems, a play”(40). With efforts of spreading the language, Chicano “knows how to survive. When other races have given up”(44). Anzaldúa stresses how language is a vital piece of her identity, and when it is not communicated between people, a whole culture would seize from