Download 4page term paper on mother tongue, by amy tan 2020. This paper argues how amy tans short story mother tongue is a literacy narrative that uses a closed form to advance the idea that no language is superior to another because all instances of language usage is not only dependent on the context, but also customized to suit the speakers purpose and the target audience. In one or two paragraphs, describe the personal experience that the writer had in mother tongue, and the understanding she gained through her reflection about the experience. She spends a great deal of her time thinking about the power of language the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Jul 18, 2016 it was her first time her mother heard her speak proper english. Using amy tans mother tongue, we will look at the significance of. Jan 25, 20 after reading amy tans essay mother tongue, i have come to several conclusions. Amy tan believed that because of her mothers limited english, it is the reason for her shortcomings. In addition to the main point, tan also shows by example that.
In the essay, mother tongue by amy tan, we are asked to consider. Her mother, daisy du ching, was born into the florid decay of imperial china. Tan implies that many people have very narrow minded and misconceived views of people from a different culture or language background, she uses the example of her personal experience and mother to show this, for example people would take her mother seriously due to her broken english, as it suggests that her mother might be uneducated. Mother tongue is a personal essay by the american novelist amy tan. After reading amy tan s essay mother tongue, i have come to several conclusions. In the text tan uses a variety of stylistic devices to express herself, tans use of parallel structures is used frequently throughout the piece, for example she starts the first paragraph with the phrase i am not a scholar of english and the second with i am a writer. A summary of amy tans mother tongue freebooksummary. Tan elaborates this idea by scrutinizing her mother s language, her own use of english and societys response to different peoples english usage. Essay about mother tongue by amy tan purpose 595 words. Tan came to realize this because when tan was with her mother, she spoke english differently, more simply, like her mother. Amy tan mother tongue soapstone example speaker identify the voice narrator and the point of view from which he or she is speaking. Tans intended audience are people like her mother such as. By bloodandguts69 summary for amy tan s mother tongue the essay is chiefly about the writers own rumination and judgment about how broken english compared to standard english. In tans essay she quotes her mothers speech to demonstrate her mothers broken english, it was a very.
Tans mother the subject of her second novel, the kitchen gods wife suffered at. Meet the author in 1989, amy tans first book, the joy. Oct 29, 20 mother tongue is an essay by amy tan describing her life with her mother in america. However, after further analysis, i see she could have been targeting specific groups. She tells us the story using her mothers language so we can see.
Amy tan mother tongue 315 language is a very powerful tool. Life is tough when one doesnt speak the native language or is new to a country. Mother tongue by amy tan research essay questions 1. Throughout most of my life, my great grandparents were around. Amy tans mother, daisy center at age 8, with daisys mother behind her in hangzhou, china, circa 1924. Amy tans short article called mother tongue shows a. Thoughts on mother tongue by amy tan happinessequalsoutlook. Amy tans mother tongue as a literacy narrative flawless. What are words tan uses to describe her mother s english. To see how other students have handled their analyses, check out these example essays on mother tongue. Now customize the name of a clipboard to store your clips. Phan 4 tan uses basic structure and dictionsyntax to effectively portray the symbolism of her mother s tongue. The opposing points go further than writers point of view, the short story mother tongue truly represents amy tans love and passion for her mother as well as her writing. However, tan s mother s english also symbolizes the limitations of immigrants in america and the challenges they have to face to be accepted.
Mother tongue, written by amy tan provides a description of the forms of english languages adapted by different individuals during their migration to the united states of america and their adjustment to the american culture. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. English, they should never back down from giving their point of view. Mother tongue by amy tan is a personal essay written in the first person point of view that tells the audience a story of a nonenglish speaker. In the amy tans mother tongue, she states that she is someone who has always loved language. She never came home and talked with the new english she learned. At the beginning of the piece we are told about the different types of english she would speak with her mother and with everyone else.
Apparently, the author uses hidden language to point out aspects of. The main idea of amy tans mother tongue is the limitations that imperfect english can impose in society and the richness that such english can bring to writing. Her mother attends a lecture that tan is delivering, and tan realizes that her mother is hearing tan speak a kind of english that she does not use at home. Amy tan was born in 1952 to chinese immigrant parents and grew up in northern california. In the essay, mother tongue, we see an article about amy tan. Its a little confusing to someone besides the author. It was her first time her mother heard her speak proper english. Both of them were right off the boat from sicily, italy.
Amy tans mother tongue the essay written by amy tan titled. The author is a fictional writer who is fascinated by language in daily life and uses language as a daily part of her work as a writer. What do language tests not have the ability to measure, according. In the essay, mother tongue by amy tan, we are asked to consider how. She videotaped her mother talking, then transcribed it. Nov 06, 2009 amy tans mother tongue summary in the article mother tongue, amy tan emphasizes the idea that we all speak different languages unconsciously and that we are categorized by the way we speak. The main idea of amy tan s mother tongue is the limitations that imperfect english can impose in society and the richness that such english can bring to writing. The piece has a strong depiction of the asian american struggles through the adaptation of the english language. Amy tans a mothers tongue the purpose of amy tans essay, mother tongue, is to show how challenging it can be if an individual is raised by a parent who speaks limited english 36 as tans mother does, partially because it can result in people being judged poorly by others. Amy tan tells the story of how she becomes to have a strong natural love for language. Michelle blay september 16, 2014 summary and claim of mother tongue amy tan complains of how her literacy on the english language was affected by the obstacles that she had to encounter of how others were judging her and her mom in her essay mother tongue. Essay examples of analysis of mother tongue by amy tan essaybot. Essay on amy tans a mothers tongue 973 words bartleby. Amy tan, the author of mother tongue, gives the audience a new outlook and better understanding of the struggles that every immigrant who lives in united states had gone through every day.
Amy tans essay mother tongue is a wonderful tale that addresses the substance of languages and how language is not only a tool of communication, but a sociological tool of measuring individual. Mother tongue is about the authors struggles with her linguistic identity, her mothers fractured or broken variation of english and the relationship with her mother. Tan speaks from first person point of view telling her story as walker narrates through mama the mother of both daughters. After reading amy tans essay mother tongue, i have come to several conclusions. Comparisson of mother tounge and everyday use 1417 words. We should know how to use it to persuade others of our point of view, make a. She alludes to several instances where people, even a doctor, would not take her mother seriously because of the way she spoke. Mother tongue, by amy tan home is where the heart dwells. Amy describes how we speak differently to family compared to how we speak to people out in public.
Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later. How the broken speech of her mother has had an influence on her life. Amy tan is a chinese immigrant, she explains that her mother speaks broken or limited english. In mother tongue, tan writes about the awareness and discrimination about unbroken english compared to standard english. Power of language mother tongue, by amy tan, tells a story about tan and.
Providing the subjective point of view, it is clear that amy feels very strong and. Mother tongue, written by amy tan provides a description of the forms of. Amy tan is considered an author at the forefront for imaging the chineseamerican experience. Even though each story is told from a different situational point of view, they have a similar message. The structure of tan s essay consist of simple chronological reflections of her growing up with different forms of english. Amy tan s mother tongue article, amy tan emphasizes her idea of. Tan shares her story of how difficult it is for her mother to communicate with others. Identify the speakers values, biases, and beliefs if you are able. In mother tongue by amy tan, tan explores the connection between ones language and their identity, she examines not only how language affects the development of ones identity, but also the role it has in the way one is perceived by society. And by that definition, i am someone who has always loved language. I thought by just reading the first paragraph that i was able to make a strong connection with amy tan and her essay. Although tan is now proud of her mother tongue, she reveals the reason behind her.
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