Introduction
Authors aim to emphasize the problems relevant to them in their works to enhance the reader’s understanding. Anzaldua discusses the connection between the language a person speaks and his or her identity. The author provides an example of her visit to a dentist as a child, which inspired Anzaldua to think about culture and its connection to the mother tongue (33). Forbidding an individual to speak their language is an oppression of the ability to express feelings and thoughts.
Passage Discussion
Due to Anzaldua’s origins, she was forced to learn a second language – English: and work on not having an accent. The author was taught that it was the only way to become American, which inevitably would lead to losing connection with her culture. An interesting consideration is that inhabitants of Anzaldua’s hometown developed Chicano Spanish in an attempt to adapt to the pressure of becoming Americans. Another aspect that Anzaldua considers is the difference between attitudes towards men and women in her culture (35). The significance of the text is in the firsthand experience that the author shares.
Conclusion
Anzaldua’s work provides an understanding of the connection that language has with one’s culture and identity. In addition, the difference of attitudes towards men’s and women’s speaking is highlighted to show unfair treatment of the latter. The author’s life journey and challenges described in this passage illustrate the pressure she experienced as a Mexican growing up in the US and her viewpoint of language as a way to express one’s personality.
Work Cited
Anzaldua, Gloria. “How to Tame a Wild Tongue.” Fifty Great Essays, edited by Robert DiYanni, 4th ed., Pearson, 2013, pp. 33-45.