Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h880Km718462; Sun, 7 Sep 2003 20:20:48 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2003 20:20:48 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <001501c3759e$ad77d4a0$984cdc42@trudy> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Ken Taber" <kentaber@inetgenesis.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9454] "Borderlands" by Gloria Anzalua X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 3739 Lines: 61 "How to tame a wild tongue" is a critical essay of the book, "Borderlands" by Gloria Anzaldua. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- One of the more challenging books that we read in the class was "Borderlands," by Gloria Anzaldúa. Her life experiences and the style in which she wrote about her life inspired thought provoking discussions in class. Here is a portion of a critical essay I wrote in response to a chapter in her book titled How To Tame A Wild Tongue. I will no longer be made to feel ashamed of existing. I will have my voice: Indian, Spanish, white. I will have my serpent's tongue-my woman's voice, my sexual voice, my poets voice. I will overcome the tradition of silence." Gloria Anzaldúa By: Jinny Seidel In her chapter, How To Tame a Wild Tongue, Gloria Anzaldúa shares with her audience, personal life experiences and the cultural divides of a people who have long been silenced. Through these experiences she has developed a passion for sharing her identity and a strong desire to bridge the divide that has existed both culturally and historically among the Chicano/Latino race.As a woman of many identities, Anzaldúa has suffered oppression because of who and what she represents in an American culture that is threatened by anyone who does not bear the white man's skin. Through her writings she attempts to create a new historical and cultural consciousness, enabling all who are open minded and willing, to hear her voice. It was not only from the white man's world that Anzaldúa faced some of her greatest challenges, but from her own people as well. It seems she was forced to live her life in a state of constant divide. As she tried to conform to the white man's expectations she was called a "pocho," a cultural traitor. She was accused of ruining the Spanish language when she spoke English, and most Latinos accused her of mutilating Spanish as she spoke Chicano Spanish. How powerful her statement, "so if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language." Anzaldúa likens her ethnic identity to her linguistic identity-"I am my language." It is only through taking pride in her language and her cultural background that she can be proud of herself. She takes pride in the rhythms of Mexican music. She internalizes her identification through other forms of images and emotions. The food of her homeland and the smells tie her to her identity. "My mouth salivates at the thought of the hot steaming tamales I would be eating if I were home," says Anzaldúa. Through her imagery I can almost taste the fajitas barbecued by her brother and smell the aroma of her mother spicing ground beef, pork and venison. I would like to believe that because of the voices of Anzaldúa and others like her the world of academia has been affected. Would it make her heart sing to know that college students today are required to take three language classes in order to graduate? Not to silence our native tongues but so that we might attain one, we are encouraged to learn to speak the language Anzaldúa herself was forced to relinquish. I'm am certain that as a result of these powerful voices other doors are being opened which have been bolted for so long. Hers is a very powerful and persuasive testimony of what it is like to live in a world of silence. It is through the passion and patience, inherited from her Chicano identity, that Alzaldúa and her people are able to bridge the Borderland divide. And although the struggles of the borders are still a reality it is through her voice and the voices of others like hers that these struggles will cease and true integration will take place. Next Page Home Page
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