Summary Of How To Tame A Wild Tongue

Gloria Anzaldúa, in her chapter, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” in the book, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, argues that one’s language can be defined by identity and maintaining the tongue is important to not let oppression suffocate the language. She supports her claim by first giving an allegory of her visit at a dentist's office and how the doctor wants to fix her tongue, then revealing how some Chicanos are trying to “fit in” and not be Chicanos, and finally throughout the chapter Anzaldua stops translating to prove a point that even though she is facing oppression, she will not change. Anzaldua’s purpose is to show the relationship between identity and language in order to show that even though that one might be oppressed to not

The simile presented is to show that all Chicanos are the same, for example: “A monolingual Chicana whose first language is English or Spanish is just as much a Chicana as one who speaks several variants of Spanish.” (39). It does not matter how one Chicano grew up, all Chicano’s are the same because it is a minority that is comprised of people from everywhere, for example: “A Chicana from Michigan or Chicago or Detroit is just as much a Chicana as one from Southwest.” (39). Chicanos are all a family no matter where you are from or what language you spoke first. Moreover, Anzaldúa presents a contrast of the oppression and how the oppression has affected Chicanos. For instance, “Yet, at the same time, we’re afraid the other will think we’re agringadas because we don’t speak Chicano Spanish. We oppress each other trying to out-Chicano each other, vying to be the real Chicanas, to speak like Chicanos.” The situation at hand is cause and effect since Chicanos are afraid what everyone around them will think they exert themselves to someone they may not be. This is not what Anzaldúa wants wants a person to do, but to fight against oppression and fight for our native tongues. Also, as the chapter goes on she explains the first time she read a book by a Chicano, John Rechy. The movies she saw as kid made her feel like she was at home, “When watching Mexican movies, I felt a sense of homecoming as well as alienation.” (41). Having contrary ideas to how Anzaldúa felt proves the oppression she faced made her feel like she was not safe. To think how the United States strives themselves on the safety of their citizens, and then have minorities feel like they do not belong. Using simile and cause and effect Anzaldúa is able to show the audience the emotions she had and how Chicanos are one big family and are