Gloria Anzaldua How To Tame A Wild Tongue Summary

1105 Words5 Pages

Home is a gift bestowed unto us--sometimes never found, often misvalued, and always missed. Many individuals experience stages of exploration, disgust, longing, and return for his or her home. As we relive the culture that shaped us, we become conflicted with the ups and downs which come with the joy and distaste of experiencing pride and nostalgia. Gloria Anzaldua explores her passion for the language and region that shaped her yet struggles with the pressure to fit into Anglicized culture. In her essay “How To Tame A Wild Tongue,” Anzaldua explores how speaking Chicano Spanish made her aware of the strength and trouble she bears as she identifies with a mix of cultures. Entering the world with a chip on your shoulder is a tiring, unfair way to interact with others. Anzaldua, proud to speak Chicano Spanish, is aware of the language’s illegitimacy: the “Chicanos who grew up speaking Chicano Spanish have internalized the belief that [they] speak poor …show more content…

Anzaldua feels uncomfortable in all of her settings--at recess where she is reprimanded for speaking Spanish, in the presence of other Latinos for speaking a bastardized version of Spanish or betraying the Latinos by speaking English, or in the professional company of her principal who doesn’t recognize the validity of her heritage. She finds that she is a rogue, a cultural vagabond. Her roots are not validated or recognized by others whose roots are so easily accepted. Since youth Anzaldua fought the commands to tame her wild tongue. Later, she identifies as her language where her pride in herself was akin to the pride in what she spoke. Even though this meant that insulting her language was an insult to her life. Until others and Anzaldua “can accept as legitimate Chicano Texas Spanish, Tex-Mex, and all the other languages [she speaks], [she] cannot accept the legitimacy of herself’ (Anzaldua

Open Document