Gloria Anzaldua's How To Tame A Wild Tongue
In response to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” by Gloria Anzaldua, she describes her childhood along with the struggles of adjusting to the many different types of languages that her culture provides. She begins her experiences with a dentist appointment she had as a child and how the doctor was struggling to control her tongue while he cleaned her roots. That experience made her curious as to how one actually tames a wild tongue. Growing up in the American public school system, she would often be punished for speaking her native language. Often teachers would tell her to learn English or “go back to Mexico”. The struggles didn’t stop there, Gloria also had a little bit of an attitude towards her mother which included, talking back and having
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This leads many people to feel shame or low self-esteem for speaking this type of Spanish because many people have attacked the Chicano language and brought down those who speak it. Gloria is afraid that by the end of the century, English will be the main dialect of most Chicanos and Latinos. She also feels strongly that if she cannot accept her native tongue then she cannot accept the legitimacy of herself. This includes having the ability to write bilingually and speaking any dialect of Spanish without always having to translate. She believes that she should not have to accommodate to English speakers but that English speakers should accommodate her. To escape the feeling of being inferior, Gloria would often watch Mexican movies or listen to Mexican music. These made her feel a sense of belonging. Likewise, she would surround herself with close family members and bond over delicious homemade food which made her feel as if she was home. Gloria describes being Mexican as a “state of soul”, and that being Mexican has nothing to do with what country someone is from or where one lives. In conclusion, she believes the Chicano people will survive through the hardest times to come. That they have the tools and knowledge to outlive all other races and remain
This leads many people to feel shame or low self-esteem for speaking this type of Spanish because many people have attacked the Chicano language and brought down those who speak it. Gloria is afraid that by the end of the century, English will be the main dialect of most Chicanos and Latinos. She also feels strongly that if she cannot accept her native tongue then she cannot accept the legitimacy of herself. This includes having the ability to write bilingually and speaking any dialect of Spanish without always having to translate. She believes that she should not have to accommodate to English speakers but that English speakers should accommodate her. To escape the feeling of being inferior, Gloria would often watch Mexican movies or listen to Mexican music. These made her feel a sense of belonging. Likewise, she would surround herself with close family members and bond over delicious homemade food which made her feel as if she was home. Gloria describes being Mexican as a “state of soul”, and that being Mexican has nothing to do with what country someone is from or where one lives. In conclusion, she believes the Chicano people will survive through the hardest times to come. That they have the tools and knowledge to outlive all other races and remain