Analyzing Gloria Anzaldua's 'Taming A Wild Tongue'
Mai Tong Xiong
Writ 1301 sec 39
Critical Paper
December 18, 2008
Taming a Wild Tongue
In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldua’s thesis explores the formation of her dual Mexican identity through the usage and abuse of her native language as the main guiding force; her structure leans towards a creative and prose style where the thesis or main idea is not directly given in the introduction, but appears in the conclusion. Though she highly emphasized evidence of language silencing, it is just an analogy/factor of dual Mexican identity; language is our identity. Although Anzaldua’s chosen structure does not follow the rules of academic essays devoutly, it is highly effective in presenting her argument and is a good example for further speculations on writing styles and the academic arena. Anzaldua hints …show more content…
“Language is a male discourse,” is supported with the example of “nosotros,” (74). As soon as Anzalduas mentions language as a male discourse, she hastily shifts towards the topic of cultural traitors which are in part, just victims of a dual identity. The purpose of focusing on language as a male discourse is representing it as parallel to the dominating system, which is male and white or conquered by them. Thus this topic shifts towards dual identity because being nonwhite in a white enforcing society results in a misused, altered, chaotic language and therefore, identity also. Anzaldua elaborated on her experience as a Chicana in regards to cultural entertainment and history of her languages in between the main paragraphs on attempts to tame a wild tongue at the beginning and her identity at the end, although identity is not explicitly implied until the last ending paragraphs. Anzaldua’a style is academic, yet she makes it fit her creative
Writ 1301 sec 39
Critical Paper
December 18, 2008
Taming a Wild Tongue
In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldua’s thesis explores the formation of her dual Mexican identity through the usage and abuse of her native language as the main guiding force; her structure leans towards a creative and prose style where the thesis or main idea is not directly given in the introduction, but appears in the conclusion. Though she highly emphasized evidence of language silencing, it is just an analogy/factor of dual Mexican identity; language is our identity. Although Anzaldua’s chosen structure does not follow the rules of academic essays devoutly, it is highly effective in presenting her argument and is a good example for further speculations on writing styles and the academic arena. Anzaldua hints …show more content…
“Language is a male discourse,” is supported with the example of “nosotros,” (74). As soon as Anzalduas mentions language as a male discourse, she hastily shifts towards the topic of cultural traitors which are in part, just victims of a dual identity. The purpose of focusing on language as a male discourse is representing it as parallel to the dominating system, which is male and white or conquered by them. Thus this topic shifts towards dual identity because being nonwhite in a white enforcing society results in a misused, altered, chaotic language and therefore, identity also. Anzaldua elaborated on her experience as a Chicana in regards to cultural entertainment and history of her languages in between the main paragraphs on attempts to tame a wild tongue at the beginning and her identity at the end, although identity is not explicitly implied until the last ending paragraphs. Anzaldua’a style is academic, yet she makes it fit her creative