My Identity Response Draft Edited

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 2, 2014

English 1100

Response to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

            Did you ever wonder what really makes you who you are? In the passage “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” by Gloria Anzaldua, she explains how your language is what makes up your identity. In her work she gives the reader insight to her language and how it is significant to her in describing who she is. As a reader to her work I would agree that that your language makes up a piece of who you are. It’s how you speak, read, understand things and shows a little bit of your culture; however, it is only part of who you are. Even though language gives you a form of self, it is just a smaller portion of the list of things that identifies you. However, my town creates my identity because, it taught me everything growing up shaping my personality and who I am today; in my opinion, where you are from ties everything together about your identity and makes up the largest part of what makes you, you.

Evidently, for Azaldua in her piece, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” she used language as a form of identity and how to express herself; however, for me it is my town. I grew up there nearly my whole life and know it inside and out. My town is called Freehold and it made me into the person I am today. For instance, I had various memories there that I will have with me for the rest of my life and along with them comes with life lessons. I cherish countless amounts of memories I’ve had in Freehold: the good, which make me show my love and appreciation for what I have, and the bad that has stemmed where my morals lie today and how guarded I am as a person.  Each place, that is similar to certain landmarks in Freehold always makes me have my town in the back of my mind. Whether each person’s experience was good or bad, the town that you grew up in made every individual into the person they are today.

            Furthermore, relating to Azaldua’s multiple languages, in my town we say words that other towns outside of our area may have never heard of before. For example, we say words like “shive”, which means if you say you are going to do something and then do not do it you are a “shive” or “just shived”. There are various words other than this one that if you were to say anywhere else people would just look at you funny; since it has become a part of my personality and everyday language I still say these words. This is similar to when she used the word “Pachuco.” Pachuco is the language that she only spoke with her friends and used slang that most people did not understand. Azaldua was able to understand this slang because she grew up saying these words with her friends, while other people not from her area would not understand her slang. This is the slang that she was talking about that she had only used with her friends. My town says words that you will not be able to find in the dictionary or by searching them on Google, probably cause of the fact that they do not exist in the English language; however, if anyone in Freehold uses these words, we would understand what the other person meant on instinct.

            In addition, as Azaldua continues to use language describing her identity, I believe your town forms your identity as well. In other words, where you grew up shapes you into everything you have become as you get older. For instance, even the language that you speak that Azaldua is so passionate about, comes from where you were raised and how you have been taught by the people around you. Azaldua states in the text, “… I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” I feel the same way about where you grew up. If you cannot take  pride in that, and realize where you were raised built you in your years, then you need to do a reevaluation on who you think you are. My town is my rock, and everything I learned and will continue learning in my years is stemmed off of it. Your town has done the significant job of making you who you are, as life goes on you will always go through changes, but you will never change the person you are inside and have become.

            That being said, my town is one of the most essential things that create my identity. However, going by Azaldua’s perspective she claims that her language is her identity. The town you are from creates your character. On the other hand, language is a big part of your identity, but it is just an example of the things that come with where you grew up (the greater picture). You could speak a different language and be the exact same person at heart, but if I had grew up somewhere else, I would not be the same person that I am today. In my opinion, that statement holds true for everyone as well. All that you have become is from right in that couple mile distance that you knew every square inch of your whole life. The irony of it, is numerous people complain all their years about how they want to leave their town and just grow up already; however, as soon as they grow up they would give anything to go back.

                        

Response to McBride's Black Power

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 10, 2014

English 1100

Response to “Black Power”

            In my opinion, McBride wrote the passage “Black Power,” to share with the reader his personal experience in memories that defines him. For instance, it was a well known time period and huge parts in people’s lives, and I think the author wrote this passage about his family and their history and struggles that he feels passionate about to share with us his identity. Without a doubt, this passage describes not only his but his family’s identity because, he is telling us his race and background into his childhood. For example, he starts off describing how his siblings were all different shades of black and even though they knew that their mother was white she responded back saying she was “light skinned”. When he was dealing with this confusion as to why his mother would just not admit that she was white, it becomes clear to the reader in his passion before his identity when he states, “There was something inside me, an ache I had, like a constant itch that got bigger and bigger as I grew, that told me. It was in my blood, you might say, and however the notion got there, it bothered me greatly.”(McBride 23). It was evident that it had bothered him, that he knew inside him that he was not white, so why can’t his mom just take pride in what she is?

            Furthermore, in different portions of the text McBride gives us a little insight into his people in his family’s identity as well. When he was talking about his grandmother he describes what he remembered of her as, “… an ancient black woman with a beautiful face who seemed very confused, walking around with a blue dress and a fishing pole, the bait, the tackle, and line dragging down around her ankles…”(McBride 24). In addition, he began talking about his parents identity’s and their history when he states that his mom, “… had little time for games, and even less time for identity crisis. She and my father brought a curious blend of Jewish-European and African-American distrust paranoia into our house. On his end, my father, Andrew McBride, a Baptist minister, had his doubts about the world accepting his mixed family…” (McBride 28). He goes on speaking about his parents’ identities. This shows that he is giving the reader and insight to not only his background but his families. I think he does this so the reader can see more clearly about his family background and the different racial backgrounds he grew up dealing with. Evidently, I think his racial background makes up his identity and who he is and as a reader, I was able to understand that taking in the struggles he had to go through throughout his childhood.

My identity V.S. Azaldua's

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 2, 2014

English 1100

Response to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

            Did you ever wonder what really makes you who you are? In the passage “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” by Gloria Anzaldua, she explains how your language is what makes up your identity. In her work she gives the reader insight to her language and how it is significant to her in describing who she is. As a reader to her work I would agree that that your language makes up a piece of who you are. It’s how you speak, read, understand things and shows a little bit of your culture; however, it is only part of who you are. Even though language gives you a form of self, it is just a smaller portion of the list of things that identifies you. In my opinion, where you are from ties everything together about your identity and makes up the largest part of what makes you, you.

Evidently, for Azaldua in her piece, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” she used language as a form of identity and how to express herself; however, for me it is my town. I grew up there nearly my whole life and know it inside and out. My town is called Freehold and it made me into the person I am today. For instance, I had various memories there that I will have with me for the rest of my life and along with them comes with life lessons. I cherish countless amounts of memories I’ve had in Freehold: the good, which make me show my love and appreciation for what I have, and the bad that has stemmed where my morals lie today and how guarded I am as a person.  Each place, that is similar to certain landmarks in Freehold always makes me have my town in the back of my mind. Whether each person’s experience was good or bad, the town that you grew up in made every individual into the person they are today.

            Furthermore, relating to Azaldua’s multiple languages, in my town we say words that other towns outside of our area may have never heard of before. This is the slang that she was talking about that she had only used with her friends. My town says words that you will not be able to find in the dictionary or by searching them on Google, probably cause of the fact that they do not exist in the English language; however, if anyone in Freehold uses these words, we would understand what the other person meant on instinct.

            In addition, as Azaldua continues to use language describing her identity, I believe your town forms your identity as well. In other words, where you grew up shapes you into everything you have become as you get older. For instance, even the language that you speak that Azaldua is so passionate about, comes from where you were raised and how you have been taught by the people around you. Azaldua states in the text, “… I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” I feel the same way about where you grew up. If you cannot take  pride in that, and realize where you were raised built you in your years, then you need to do a reevaluation on who you think you are. My town is my rock, and everything I learned and will continue learning in my years is stemmed off of it. Your town has done the significant job of making you who you are, as life goes on you will always go through changes, but you will never change the person you are inside and have become.

            That being said, my town is one of the most essential things that create my identity. However, going by Azaldua’s perspective she claims that her language is her identity. The town you are from creates your character. On the other hand, language is a big part of your identity, but it is just an example of the things that come with where you grew up (the greater picture). You could speak a different language and be the exact same person at heart, but if I had grew up somewhere else, I would not be the same person that I am today. In my opinion, that statement holds true for everyone as well. All that you have become is from right in that couple mile distance that you knew every square inch of your whole life. The irony of it, is numerous people complain all their years about how they want to leave their town and just grow up already; however, as soon as they grow up they would give anything to go back.

                        

My identity response to "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 2, 2014

English 1100

Response to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

            Evidently, for Azaldua in her piece, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” she used language as a form of identity and how to express herself; however, for me it is my town. I grew up there nearly my whole life and know it inside and out. My town is called Freehold and it made me into the person I am today. For instance, I had various memories there that I will have with me for the rest of my life and along with them comes with life lessons. I cherish countless amounts of memories I’ve had in Freehold: the good, which make me show my love and appreciation for what I have, and the bad that has stemmed where my morals lie today and how guarded I am as a person.  Each place, that is similar to certain landmarks in Freehold I will always have my town in the back of my mind. Whether each person’s experience was good or bad, the town that you grew up in made every individual into the person they are today.

            Furthermore, relating to Azaldua’s multiple languages, in my town we say words that other towns outside of our area may have not ever heard of before. This is the slang that she was talking about that she had only used with her friends. My town says words that you will not be able to find in the dictionary or by searching them on Google, probably cause of the fact that they do not exist in the English language; however, if anyone in Freehold uses these words, we would understand what the other person meant on instinct. Each person’s town shapes a person into who they are.

"How to Tame a Wild Tongue" Response to Questions

Nicolette Van Duysen

September 2, 2014

English 1100

Responding Questions to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

1.     The opening scene of Anzaldua’s dentist chair imagery connects to the overall meaning of the story. In the visual the dentist is talking to the girl about controlling her tongue and telling her to “train it to be quiet” (making comments on it being so strong and stubborn). As we all know without the tongue people would not be able to speak any language, it is symbolic for the rest of the story because the story talks about people being told what is the right or wrong language to speak. As the dentist “robs” the girls tongue on her visit, society “robs” other people’s tongues trying to tell them what is the right language to speak.

2.     Not all of the Spanish Anzaldua used in her writing made sense to me; however, I think she did that to demonstrate how each person has their own identity through different language. What one person might speak, another might not understand (just makes you different).

3.     Academic English and Spanish are two different languages, but they both would be classified as standard. Chicano Spanish can still be classified as standard because, there is a group of people following it and that is what they would call themselves. Standard language is a set language, while nonstandard would be like if someone were to speak English and Spanish, using both languages for different words.

4.     Writing or speaking in Academic English is necessary if it is the language you speak and that is where you live.

5.     This packet really opened my eyes to all of the identities that a language could have. I do not really know a variety of English identities aside from “broken English”, what we speak in America, and the English that is spoken in England.

6.     I do not use any secret languages involved with Spanish, however in English if you are from a certain town you might have a different slang than another town would. Some of my friends use different words that my other friends would not know, even though everyone speaks Academic English.

7.     When I am with my friends I speak nonstandard English, and when im with my parents I speak standard. This is because, when I am with my friends we really do not have to watch what we say or worry about saying the wrong words incorrectly; but when you talk to an adult your speech becomes more proper.

8.     Each person might speak different or take pride in their language in different ways. Each person’s language resembles who they are and that is tied into identity.

9.     Even though the imagery from the introduction to conclusion is not the same, the meaning of the words remain equal. For instance, the introduction talks about how the girl’s tongue is strong and powerful and would not be silenced, and the conclusion talks about even though other races could have given up it’s tongue, their not giving it up as well. They both use the word “stubborn”, and talk about how their tongues will not back down.

10.  The language you speak can be a part of your identity because, it represents who you are, how you talk, and how you live.

11.  Identity is important to me. I believe everyone is different and have their own traits that make up who they are. It is evident that, Anazaldua believes it is important to have identity when she said, “ So if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity- I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.”  Throughout the text she explains what kinds of languages she speaks, when she uses them, and ensures the reader that she is not giving up on her strong, unsilenced tongue.