thesis statement for how to tame a wild tongue

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

26 pages • 52 minutes read

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Summary and Study Guide

Summary: “how to tame a wild tongue”.

“How to Tame a Wild Tongue” is an autobiographical essay by Hispanic American writer and scholar Gloria Anzaldúa . The essay was published in her 1987 collection Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza . Anzaldúa is perhaps best known as the coeditor, alongside Cherrie Moraga, of the influential collection A Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color (1981).

The main theme of “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” is the interconnectedness of identity and language. The essay begins with the story of the author as a young girl getting her teeth cleaned. Her unruly tongue increasingly annoys the dentist, who tells her to tame it. She then briefly recounts stories about white English-speaking teachers chastising her for speaking Spanish at recess and about authority figures, including her mother and college professors, mandating that she speak English without an accent. She asserts that these attempts to censor her language and her accent violate her First Amendment rights. The essay is divided into six sections. Throughout, Anzaldúa writes passages in italicized Chicano (Mexican American) Spanish usually followed by an English translation.

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Overcoming the Tradition of Silence

Anzaldúa’s refusal to censor her language is particularly controversial because of her gender. Recounting how, as a child, authority figures like her parents and priest told her that well-behaved girls are quiet and do not talk back, Anzaldúa retrospectively realizes that the language used to scold children into silence is only directed toward girls. She calls language a “male discourse .” It is patriarchal, a point that she illustrates with the example of nosotros , meaning “us” in English. The - os ending is masculine. It is the default ending used in Spanish to refer to mixed-gendered groups; in Chicano Spanish, it even refers to all-female groups. She expresses her surprise upon hearing two women, a Puerto Rican and a Cuban, refer to themselves as nosotras , realizing for the first time that there was a word to express “us women” in Spanish.

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Oyé como ladra: el lenguaje de la frontera

In addition to receiving criticism from Anglos for speaking poor English, Anzaldúa receives criticism from Spanish-speaking Latinos for speaking Chicano Spanish, a borderland dialect. She argues that Chicano is a legitimate language, one that developed to reflect the identity of the Chicano people who live on the border between Mexico and the United States. Chicano people speak a variety of languages derived from both English and Spanish, from dialects to slang to formal language learned in school. She embraces a practice she calls code-switching , casually and rapidly communicating in more than one language or dialect in a single conversation.

Chicano Spanish

Anzaldúa gives a linguistic history of Chicano Spanish covering more than 250 years. She illustrates that the language collapses adjacent vowels and omits certain consonants between vowels. Geography also played an important role in the development of a distinct Chicano dialect. Certain borderland regions preserved archaic Spanish words due to geographic barriers that limited contact with other Spanish-speaking regions. Consequently, Chicano Spanish is derived from medieval Castillano and retains Extramadura and Andalucia Spanish’s distinct pronunciation. Regional proximity also accounts for the high volume of anglicisms, words derived from English, that appear in Chicano.

Linguistic Terrorism

Anzaldúa posits that Chicanos have internalized shame because of the language they speak. Latino adults and authority figures criticize Chicanos from childhood for not speaking “proper” Spanish. Unlike Latinos growing up in Spanish-speaking countries, where Spanish is taught in schools and Spanish language immersion is the norm, the Chicano growing up in the United States finds Spanish “outlawed.” Chicanos internalize shame at not speaking “proper” Spanish, making them feel “uncomfortable talking in Spanish to Latinas.” In Chicano spaces, Chicanos typically default to speaking English, yet worry about appearing “not Chicano enough” for that reason. Anzaldúa argues that judging one another based on language capabilities is oppressive, reinforcing censorship by both the Anglo and Latino. She realizes that there is no one Chicano language but many and that to insult her language is to insult her. She argues that language is integrally tied to ethnic identity, and Chicanos should embrace their languages to embrace their Chicano identity.

“Vistas,” corridos, y comida: My Native Tongue

Anzaldúa reports that discovering literature by Chicano authors awakened her to the Chicano identity. She realized, “We really existed as a people” (44). She continued to cultivate an interest in Chicano literature and, as a teacher in the 1970s, secretly taught it to her high school students against the wishes of her principal. Chicano literature continued to be a site of struggle for Anzaldúa, who insisted on pursuing the topic for her dissertation despite opposition from some of her professors.

Yet even before Anzaldúa began studying Chicano literature, she was steeped in Chicano culture through borderland music, movies, and cuisine. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that Anzaldúa evokes of childhood on the Mexican-American border show how cultural and ethnic identification is internalized. She writes, they “are tied to my identity, to my homeland” (42). This internalization is so strong that even years later and thousands of miles away, Anzaldúa remembers the taste of her mother’s tamales.

Si le preguntas a mi mamá, “¿Qué eres?”

Chicanos living on the borderland define Mexican identity as “a state of soul” rather than of “mind” or “citizenship” (43). It is one of many identities they claim , and Anzaldúa exposes how these different identifications are complicated. To identify as Spanish or Spanish American is to omit their Indigenous identity, their “predominant Indian genes” (43). Identifying as Mexican American poses a similar issue as it elides Chicana identity from Mexican to American identity. To claim Chicana identity is to refuse enculturation, to resist conforming to American culture. Chicanos, like other people of color, suffer economically for not adopting American culture. Likewise, not adopting Mexican culture leaves the Chicano people at the crossroads of cultural identity, producing “a kind of dual identity” since they identify with neither American nor Mexican culture (43).

The solidification of Chicano identity happened in 1965, catalyzed by Cesar Chavez’s labor organizing, the publication of Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzalez’s Chicano epic poem I am Juaquin , and the formation of the Raza Unida political party in Texas. The movement’s literature, politics, and organizing helped Chicano people realize they had a distinct language and culture. Despite this realization, Chicanos still face the internal struggle of being between cultures and languages. Violent and oppressive American culture is, she says, one “we know how to survive,” and Anzaldúa anticipates the mestizas and mestizos outliving American culture (44).

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• How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Read our complete notes on the essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua. Our notes cover How to Tame a Wild Tongue summary and analysis.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua Summary

The essay “ How to Tame a Wild Tongue”  by Gloria Anzaldua attempts to highlight the undesirable social outlook and attitude of the community toward the way Chicano people speaks and the resulting harmful effects affecting the self-identity of the Chicano people dwelling on the borders. Anzaldua begins her essay with the hidden comparison of the way she speaks with her accent. She mentions her visit to a dentist who complaints that Anzaldua’s tongue is very strong and tenacious. She seems frustrated with the words of doctor and starts thinking of how to tame a wild tongue and comes to a conclusion that “wild tongue cannot be tamed, it can only be cut down”. The dentist, though, does not point out her accent or mean to, yet her reaction to dentist words shows that she has complexes regarding her accents which, no doubt, makes her unconsciously conscious of people’s thinking of her when she speaks.

Anzaldua moves ahead maintaining that her accent or the way she speaks is a significant element of her identity. She regards accent as one of the sources of identity for people. She elucidates that the accent “Chicano Spanish” that she speaks naturally develops as a language of the border because of the border on which she lives. This Chicano Spanish accent causes a lot of problems for her as she is not considered as the native speaker of both Spanish language and English Language. However, she considers herself socially isolated from either of the linguistic groups making her own language unique and appropriate for those people who, too, speak it. Anzaldua believes that the accent Chicano Spanish arose because of the people coming from diverse complex background desired to recognize themselves as a distinctive and unique group.

Anzaldua mentions the problems, difficulties, and stereotypes that she had to overcome in her childhood because of the Chicano Spanish accent. The language and the accent she spoke in her childhood was a foundation of uncertainty consequently causing her angry and frustrated mood over time. Moreover, this also led her to have problems with self-esteem.

The problems that Anzaldua encountered in her life because of her language and accent has negative impacts on her personality and personal identity. She realizes herself to be unhappy with herself, however, soon, she recognizes, understands and accepts the “illegitimacy” of her accent and language.

Many people believe that the language they speak and their cultural identities are one and the same thing. However, this is not the case. There is diversity in a language and discrimination on the basis of language can lead to personality disorders. Gloria Anzaldua is an excellent example of a person that is a self-validated disregard of the undesirable reactions of the people who cannot tolerate individual’s diversity.

Language is a source of identity and a language that individual speaks is crucial to identity. This a main idea that Anzaldua communicated in her essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”. Language is a source of keeping people united and helps people to identify one another, to resemble with one another. It is ethical responsibility of an individual to value other’s diversity especially the language through which they communicate. It shouldn’t be the superiority of a language that will make you speak it but you comfortably to decide which language you must speak. You don’t need nor should you allow anyone to direct you how to speak. Anzaldua, in her essay, encourages the minority not be disheartened and discouraged of the way they speak. Moreover, she encourages them to accept their diversity, to accept that they are different and must take the contest of being polyglot or bilingual in America.

Gloria Anzaldua tries to argue with the audience to admit the reality that every person has his or her accent while some people have a totally different accent and speaks differently from the entire community. So, the Americans must have to change their mindset to diversity. We should be tolerant enough to accept each other’s alterations.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue Literary Analysis

Gloria Anzaldua, an important character in Chicano literature, is an American poet, novelist, essayist, and critic. Anzaldua, in her literary work, shows her hard experiences as a woman- a mestiza, who lives on a border and faces many problems due to mix cultures and languages.

Borderland or La Frontera’ is a major work by Gloria Anzaldua that was published in 1987. Her works are mainly based upon people who live on the border between Mexico and USA and describes the socioeconomic, political, and mystical impact of European invasion on the borderland. The essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue?” is taken from this book, and has played a major role in elevating and highlighting the issue affecting the society particularly people living on borderlands. The Chicano movement, in the 1960s, has greatly influenced Gloria. Being a part of that movement, Gloria devoted most of his work to the movement and events occur during that time. The issues that she highlighted in her essays and other literary works include self-approval, racism, sexism, and construction of identity.

The essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” is mostly based on the problems that Chicano people come across in communication. Moreover, she addresses the forceful and violating the process of changing their psychological, social, and cultural arrays. The Chicano people have to confront a lot of undesirable attitudes from other communities due to the Chicano Spanish language and accent they speak. Gloria describes this situation as “Linguistic Terrorism”. She claims that social involvement leads to the formation of the particular identity of an individual.

The Chicano American or the Mexican American were isolated from the common American citizens for a long span of time. They were not given their due rights and were deprived of basic facilities of life. They have zero excess to the quality educations. The vocational centers in which they receive low standard education developed no or low self-validation as they were ridiculed for their origin and language they spoke. The children were scorned for speaking their native language in the class. This lead to personality disorders and disinterest of students in studies increased leading to huge dropouts. Stigmatization resulted due to cultural domination.

In society, every human has diverse responsibilities. Society determines these roles. Moreover, identity formation is strongly linked and affiliated to the social contribution. Ethnic, political and economic backgrounds are the various variables that form these social affiliations. Similarly, these factors also contributing factors of cultures; while culture is directly linked to language; language differences cause cultural uncertainty.

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How to Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua Essay

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The thesis statement

The body: anzaldua’s fight for national identity, the conclusion: a soldier in the war, reference list.

First of all, I would like to point out that the basic idea of the novel written by Gloria Anzaldua is the author’s immigrant experience. Generally, the borders the author defines are of particular importance. Thus, she speaks about geographical and cultural differences.

Anzaldua determines the border “as a place for misfits, a place, literal and metaphorical for those who are rejected from dominant society. She considers this to be a very violent and traumatic psychic and physical space” (Allegheny.edu, 2012, p. 1). The author wanted to overcome the difficulties of language contact. Orquidea Morales (2007) is of the opinion that Anzaldua “creates her own language to capture her identity.

Her writing is highly politicized, intensely personal and eloquently honest ” (p. 17). In her book How to Tame A Wild Tongue, she points out the importance of pride. She specifies that the person is to be proud of the language he or she speaks. Thus, Anzaldua speaks about her own experience. She remembers her teacher’s words: “If you want to be American, speak American. If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong” (Unr.edu, p. 2947).

The author discloses the notion of language identity and the “theory of borderland and mestiza identity as a fuller and richer theory of difference, self, and culture” (Lockhart, 2007, p. 1). Anzaldua discovers the importance of multiple aspects and complexities of people’s identity.

The most important point I want to highlight is that people didn’t recognize bilingual education, and there were a lot of reasons to reject the second language. Morales (2007) states that “Language has always been a tool used to oppress Chicanas” (p. 28). Anzaldua uses all forms of writing.

Tara Lockhart (2007) says that “her particular experience of mestiza identity, her work also shows that the act of writing itself assists individuals in coming to know and express the complexities of identity” (p. 1).

For Anzaldua Chicano Spanish is considered to be “a border tongue which developed naturally” (Unr.edu, p. 2948). In other words, she states that “Un lenguaje que corresponde a un modo de vivir. Chicano Spanish is not incorrect, it

is a living language” (Unr.edu, p. 2948). In my opinion, it is obvious that the author uses Spanish to express different emotions she feels. Anzaldua uses Spanish, Nahuatl, English to disclose the myth of a monocultural country. “By being Chicana, she accepts her entire heritage not just what is deemed acceptable by white America” (Morales, 2007, p. 13).

In other words, Anzaldua wanted to disclose the reality of American nation. The author highlights the fact that Chicanos try to find “a place in American society” (Morales, 2007, p. 19). For this reason, when using Spanish, the author wants the Americans to feel uneasiness and inconvenience. She wants them to understand and accept mestizaje.

Spanish words the author uses in her book appeal to the emotions of the readers. She can’t use regular English to express her emotions, as English is not her native language. In other words, the emotions are described so vividly, because the author feels the language, she speaks.

It is the inherent feeling that this word or sentence is right. The point that Chicanas use of the language is rather restricted can be explained by the following: “This process of linguistic colonization results in the fact that for many U.S. Latinas, English is the language of education and writing, while Spanish proficiency is limited to the private sphere and to spoken language” (Morales, 2007, p. 23).

The author hates the school system. However, in spite of horrible experience, Anzaldua didn’t give up; of course, her language was changed, but she still speaks both languages. “Anzaldua majored in the oppressor’s tongue to prove her intelligence, but at the same time she lost a part of herself” (Morales, 2007, p. 31).

The author said that it was difficult to express the thoughts and ideas as the language she spoke was disdained. The most important, the primary language was English. Anzaldua points out that it was used for repression. The girl’s identity was worthless.

Morale (2007) says that “Chicanas are ingrained with the idea that their language is unnecessary and inferior” (p. 37). Thus, the girl’s self-esteem meant nothing for those who spoke English. Another important point is related to “language colonization in feminist groups” (Morales, 2007, p. 37). So, Anzaldua fights for her right to express herself freely.

Anzaldua uses poetry in her book to disclose the issue of national identity. She relies on various quotations to show her own feelings, thoughts and emotions: “Identity is the essential core of who we are as individuals, the conscious experience of the self inside. Kaufman ” (Unr.edu, p. 2953). Morale (2007) states that “She feels she is not good enough as a result of years of racism and humiliation against her, her language and her culture” (p. 38).

Anzaldua wants to get freedom; she wants to write about various positive feelings, she wants to feel that she is free; however, now “she is a soldier in this war and cannot escape it until it is over” (Morales, 2007, p. 39).

Allegheny.edu. (2012). Critical Senior Project Guidelines . Web.

Lockhart, T. (2007). Writing the Self: Gloria Anzaldua, Textual Form, and Feminist Epistemology . Web.

Morales, O. (2007). Chicana Self Expression through Language. Web.

Unr.edu. (n.d.). How to Tame A Wild Tongue. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2018, October 31). How to Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-tame-a-wild-tongue-by-gloria-anzaldua/

"How to Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua." IvyPanda , 31 Oct. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-tame-a-wild-tongue-by-gloria-anzaldua/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'How to Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua'. 31 October.

IvyPanda . 2018. "How to Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-tame-a-wild-tongue-by-gloria-anzaldua/.

1. IvyPanda . "How to Tame A Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/how-to-tame-a-wild-tongue-by-gloria-anzaldua/.

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How to Tame a Wild Tongue Summary and Key Themes

In her profoundly insightful essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldúa, a Hispanic-American writer, delves into the intimate relationship between language and identity. 

This autobiographical piece, a gem from her 1987 collection “Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza,” also reflects her rich legacy as the co-editor of “A Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color.”

Full Summary

Anzaldúa’s journey starts in an unlikely place: a dentist’s chair. 

As a young girl, her unruly tongue, both literally and metaphorically, becomes a symbol of her struggle. The dentist’s irritation with her tongue mirrors society’s discomfort with her linguistic identity. 

From schoolteachers chastising her for speaking Spanish to authority figures demanding an “accent-free” English, Anzaldúa highlights a broader cultural attempt to suppress her linguistic heritage.

Silence and Patriarchy: The Gendered Language

Anzaldúa shines a light on the intersection of language and gender. She recalls being told as a child that “well-behaved girls are quiet.” This gendered language, she argues, is steeped in patriarchy, even in the nuances of Spanish where the masculine form often prevails. Her revelation comes when she hears women using ‘nosotras’, an empowering discovery of a linguistic space for women.

Chicano Spanish: A Language of the Borderlands

Chicano Spanish, a language born on the fringes of Mexico and the United States, becomes a central theme. Anzaldúa passionately defends this dialect, often criticized by both English and Spanish speakers. She sees it as a reflection of the Chicano identity, a linguistic tapestry weaving together elements from various languages and dialects, enriched by code-switching.

The Linguistic Evolution of Chicano Spanish

Tracing over 250 years of history , Anzaldúa unveils the evolution of Chicano Spanish. From vowel collapsing to the adoption of archaic Spanish words, she shows how geography and history have sculpted this unique dialect. Chicano Spanish stands as a testament to a resilient culture, absorbing influences yet retaining its distinct essence.

Linguistic Terrorism: The Shame and Struggle

Anzaldúa boldly addresses the internalized shame many Chicanos feel about their language, a phenomenon she terms “linguistic terrorism.” She portrays the Chicano’s dilemma, caught between not speaking “proper” Spanish or English, leading to a sense of linguistic inadequacy. Yet, Anzaldúa advocates for embracing this diversity, seeing it as a cornerstone of the Chicano identity.

Cultural Immersion: Literature, Music, and Food

Anzaldúa’s awakening to her Chicano identity intensifies through literature. She recounts her experiences teaching Chicano literature clandestinely, defying the norms set by authorities. This cultural journey isn’t limited to literature alone; it encompasses the rich tapestry of borderland music, cinema, and cuisine, all of which deeply influence her sense of self.

Identity Beyond Borders: The Chicano Soul

The essay delves into the complex identities of Chicanos living on the borderlands. Anzaldúa explores

how this identity is not just about citizenship or geography, but a “state of soul.” The Chicano experience transcends simple categories like Mexican American or Spanish, weaving in Indigenous heritage and creating a unique cultural mosaic. This dual identity often places Chicanos at a cultural crossroads, neither fully American nor Mexican, yet distinctively both.

The Chicano Movement: A Cultural Renaissance

The 1960s marked a pivotal moment for the Chicano identity. Influenced by figures like Cesar Chavez, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzalez, and events like the formation of the Raza Unida party, Chicanos began to recognize their unique cultural and linguistic heritage. This era of awakening saw Chicanos embracing their distinct language and culture, even amidst the struggle of existing between two worlds.

Surviving and Thriving: The Future of Chicano Culture

Anzaldúa closes her essay with a hopeful vision. Despite the challenges and the “violent and oppressive American culture,” she believes in the resilience of the mestizas and mestizos. She sees a future where they not only survive but thrive, outliving and reshaping the culture that once sought to suppress them.

1. The Inextricable Link Between Language and Identity

At the heart of Anzaldúa’s essay is the profound exploration of how language shapes and defines identity. 

She delves deep into the idea that language is not merely a tool for communication but a vital component of cultural and personal identity. Anzaldúa’s experiences, from being chastised for speaking Spanish to being criticized for her accent in English, highlight the struggles and triumphs of living in a linguistically diverse world. 

The essay underscores the way linguistic nuances and dialects, particularly Chicano Spanish, embody the history, struggles, and resilience of a community. 

Anzaldúa’s narrative illustrates how language can act as a symbol of resistance against cultural assimilation and a means of preserving heritage, making a compelling case for the power of language in forging and affirming one’s identity.

2. Cultural Hybridity and the Chicano Experience

Anzaldúa’s work is quite vibrant, depicting the life of Chicanos, people living on the borderlands between the United States and Mexico. 

This theme of cultural hybridity runs deep, exploring the complexities of having a dual identity in a world that often demands singular allegiances. Through her reflections, Anzaldúa portrays how Chicanos navigate the nuances of two distinct cultures, blending and shifting between them. She brings attention to the challenges of this dual existence, from the struggle to fit into either culture fully to the richness that such a unique perspective brings. 

This theme is especially applicable in her discussions of “linguistic terrorism” and the internalized shame associated with not conforming to linguistic norms of either the Spanish or English language. 

The essay becomes a celebration of this hybridity, advocating for the acceptance and recognition of the rich, diverse cultural landscape it creates.

3. Gender, Language, and Power

Anzaldúa’s essay is also a critical examination of the intersections between gender, language, and power. 

She illuminates how language can be a tool of patriarchal control, particularly in the way women are socialized to use (or not use) their voices. Anzaldúa’s personal anecdotes, such as being told that “well-behaved girls are quiet,” reveal the broader societal pressures on women to conform to submissive roles. 

Additionally, she touches upon the gendered aspects of language itself, using the example of the masculine and feminine forms in Spanish to discuss how language can reflect and perpetuate gender biases. 

This exploration goes beyond mere critique, transforming into a call for empowerment, where Anzaldúa champions the use of language as a form of resistance against patriarchal norms, urging women, especially those from marginalized communities, to reclaim their voices and narratives.

Final Thoughts

In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldúa doesn’t just tell her story; she weaves a narrative of resilience, cultural identity, and linguistic pride. Her essay is a powerful reminder of the inextricable link between language and self, a call to embrace our diverse tongues as integral parts of our identity.

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How to Tame a Wild Tongue Summary

Analysis of how to tame a wild tongue by gloria anzaldua.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue , a chapter in Gloria Anzaldua’s book   Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza  reflects on the in-betweenness that Chicanas like her experienced as an outcome of living on the Mexico-Texas border and hence also a subject of consequential repression and marginalization. The essay primarily focuses on the reconstruction of the American identity through debarring the existing linguistic barriers in order to achieve freedom from Eurocentric ideals and an ascription to the rootedness of that identity in the lived experiences of the people. 

Gloria Anzaldua was an American theorist of Chicana origin who advocated for a non-biased linguistic identity for her community through her seminal work  Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza  published in 1987. 

  How to Tame a Wild Tongue | Summary

  Beginning with a recall of a dentist visit in the past, Anzaldua exhibits her consciousness and anger over people who attempt to monitor her tongue or her accent. The dentist expresses his concern over the author’s teeth and his inability to successfully carry on with the treatment due to the interfering “wild tongue.” Anzaldua perceives it as an offensive remark over her linguistic identity and also a stab at her freedom. The dentist’s literal statement metaphorically comments on the long-standing practice of suppression that Chicanas like the author have been enduring. 

The essay is unlike any traditional piece of critical writing which articulates and substantiates certain arguments. Instead, its autobiographical nature allows for the incorporation of various anecdotes as well as a free flow of languages to naturally establish the author’s point of view. 

  The work discusses Anzaldua’s struggle during her childhood when the school administration prohibits her from conversing in Spanish and even punishes her for her polite attempt to correct her teacher’s pronunciation of her name. Further, she sheds light on her origins and her identity as a Chicana woman. Chicanas are accused of infiltrating Spanish as a language by inventing their own dialect but the author provides an insight into the prevalence of various dialects of a particular language, in this case, both English and Spanish, and how it is only the Chicano Spanish which is “othered” by more recognized Spanish speakers like Latinas and Hispanics. 

For Anzaldua, Chicano is a “border tongue” which is a natural development suiting the community. However, criticism from society compels the Chicanas to internalize the social construction of an inferiority complex and lose confidence in their identity. The author thus strives to abandon the rigid molds of identity formation pertaining to English and Spanish speakers too, on the contrary, form her own complex yet distinct identity. 

  According to her, it is the accent and hence the dialect that creates hurdles in the assimilation of Chicanas into the macro-American identity. She subtly interrogates the superiority of American Standard English over her Chicano Spanish when the former is a colonial and hence imposed language while the latter is native and closer to American soil. One should be proud of their bilingual identity and should avoid prioritizing one language over the other. Speak the language that gives you comfort and a sense of closeness to the idea of home. Anzaldua concludes her essay by encouraging all the oppressed communities to stand up for themselves and reclaim their linguistic identities as a step toward a more diverse way of living.  

How to Tame a Wild Tongue | Analysis

  Anzaldua’s essay is a stark commentary on the claustrophobic existence of the Chicana community which occupies a  liminal position  when it comes to their linguistic as well as national identity. Living on the border prevents her and her fellows from assimilating completely either into the American or Mexican culture. Writing from her own perspective, the author draws attention to the specific Mexican-American identity of the Chicana community which resides in the South-western United States and North-western Mexico. They have been subjected to  accusations of infiltrating Spanish  as a language through their  distinct dialects  by Latinas and Hispanics. The author hence not only portrays the  language barriers  as a conflict between two different languages i.e. English and Spanish but an  internal conflict within Spanish-speaking  communities due to the multiplicity of accents. Such a claim connects the readers to her point as each human employs a different style of conversing with different people. Through this, she implicitly calls out to the deciding authorities for degrading Chicana speakers in educational institutions by coercing them to study two speech classes while her American counterparts from Texas who also differ in accent are exempted from imbibing the Standard American English. Coupling this with her teacher’s mispronunciation of her name and subsequent punishment of hitting her on the knuckles, Anzaldua projects her  victimization  due to the sociological practice of  microaggression  that involves a lack of basic sensitivity towards others and an urge to humiliate him/her repeatedly. 

  The opening section of the essay plays a pun on the words tongue and roots when the dentist and the author respectively claim— “We’re going to have to control your  tongue ” and “The dentist is cleaning out my  roots .” The play on the words is evidence of Anzaldua’s craft to hit two spots with the same arrow. Through the metaphor of capping the tooth, she emphasizes how her natural identity is covered by a false one like the filing under the natural tooth to be covered with an artificial one on the top. The dentist’s removal of “silver bits” from her teeth connotes the extraction of her treasured cultural identity by the mindless institutions of the day. 

  Standardization of a language is a  social construct  and a person has to learn it during the course of life. Nobody is born with it and thus the white majority’s expectation from the minority communities to communicate in their American English is insensitive but also baseless. It is just another way of marginalizing the Chicanas, especially the working-class Mexican population who refused to be assimilated and were thus addressed by the said title as a racial slur before the 1960s. A person should adopt the language with whom he/she feels closer and is a reflection of his/her experiences in life. With this line of thought, Anzaldua ventures to take pride in her distinctness as a Chicana woman and thus Chicano Spanish, accepting her hybrid identity. 

  The style of writing in the essay is impressive. It is unlike lengthy prose delivering multiple arguments one after the other. Rather, it employs diverse forms of writing such as anecdotes, end notes, famous sayings, poetry, and a blend of English and Spanish. She not only code-switches with her peers and family but also with her audience as the work is catered to everyone who is in the trap of identity and linguistic politics. The act of writing the essay thus itself resembles an act of integration and assimilation which she is craving. By reclaiming her language, she writes back to the people who tried to impose another identity by redefining what it actually means to be an American: 

  “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. Until I can accept as legitimate Chicano Texas Spanish, Tex-Mex, and all the other languages I speak, I cannot accept my legitimacy of myself. Until I am free to write bilingually and to switch codes without having always to translate, while I still have to speak English or Spanish when I would rather speak Spanglish, and as long as I have to accommodate the English speakers rather than having them accommodate me, my tongue will be illegitimate” 

Chicano Spanish is embedded in history and employs vocabulary from medieval European speakers. It is thus not a new or invented phenomenon but a culturally existing reality. Chicanas are the closest people to the soil of America as they are the native ones. But white Americans have overshadowed their identity and culture despite their own status as European settlers who invaded America as a project of colonialism. Colonization was a success because the colonizers colonized the language first and then the humans.

Commanding the language ensures commanding the identity of a human. Hence, she fails to understand with what authority white Americans throw away minority groups under the rug. Why do Educational institutions refuse to allow teaching Chicano texts? Why American literature is narrowed down to texts written in English by Americans and not extended to texts written in Spanish by a person living in Texas? These questions blatantly expose the latent hypocrisy in the socio-cultural ideology of her nation which refuses her and everyone like her to peacefully co-exist with other citizens in their differences. She desires to put an end to her patience and openly affirms her willingness to be stubborn and fight for her cultural identity by continuing with her Chicano Spanish as a medium of language. 

How to Tame a Wild Tongue | Literary Devices

Tongue-   To connote the essence of linguistic identity and its “control” by oppressive “doctors” representing the dominating white Americans, the author uses the metaphor of tongue and its rigidity to give in to linguistic terrorism. 

 The opening section of the essay discusses the author’s visit to a dentist who is frustrated with her “wild tongue” as it causes a hindrance in her treatment. 

Recounting a reprimanding incident from school, the author narrates how her teacher prohibited conversing in Spanish and even gave her a rap on the knuckle as a punishment for arguing.

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Summary and Analysis: “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua

How to Tame a Wild Tongue summary and analysis, reveals the experiences of the American poet, critic, novelist and essayist Gloria Anzaldua. How to Tame a Wild Tongue, is a chapter in her book published in 1987 ‘Borderlands/La Frontera’. This is one of the major works that contributed to her being considered an important figure in the Chicano Literature. The book has been divided into two main parts: the first section consists of seven essays while the second section has a number of poems. Our focus will be How to Tame a Wild Tongue. In general, in the book Borderlands/La Frontera, she highlights her experiences as a woman living at the border, of different countries and cultures. Such women as herself, are referred to as mestiza as she describes in the book.

An Overview of “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

The essay starts with Gloria Anzaldua describing a moment at the dentist’s office. Instead of her teeth being the issue it is her tongue. It poses a challenge for the dentists as he works on her teeth. The way she refers to the whole experience is considered a metaphor that denotes her tongue or language. She refers to other different memories all the way from her childhood that have had a significant impact on her identity with some memories leaving deep scars.

Gloria Anzaldua recalls of the time when the teacher sent her to the corner for attempting to spell her name for her. It was a sad experience for her. She further highlights her experiences as a Chicano. She reveals that for one to know who Gloria Anzaldua is, they have to see through the different layers of language, proof of her struggle with identity. Her gender too plays a significant role. Her culture has imposed a variety of rules and sayings of how women are expected to act or speak.

She is a Chicano and she is proud of it. Being a Chicano in a society where they are looked down upon is a struggle. Chicano’s cannot identify with the English or Hispanic speaking people as they are somewhere in between. In fact, through the book, we know that the best was to insult one is to make fun of how they speak, basically undermining them. Chicanos are Mexican Americans, a mix of both cultures that is basic Spanish to Southern Texas Spanish. They have a variety of dialects, therefore speak differently. We know Gloria is proud to be a Chicano, a look at the story where she goes off the curriculum while teaching Chicano students English is clear evidence.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue Summary and Analysis

How to tame a wild tongue summary and analysis will focus on Gloria Anzaldua’s take on language and identity. The essay describes the Chicano people, residing at the border of the USA and Mexico. It further reveals how the European conquest had a political, spiritual and socioeconomic influence on the natives at the borderland.

Are language and identity synonymous with each other as most people assume? How to tame a wild tongue analysis reveals to us that, that may not be the case. Ethnic identity should be your basis for self-validation. Regardless of other people’s negative reactions to ones’ diversity, any individual can be self-validated. For a long time, Gloria Anzaldua let other people’s negative reaction to her identity as a Chicano influence her self-esteem.

The term “language” has been defined in the dictionary as a system or method of communication within a country or society, while another definition refers to it as the use of words spoken or written to communicate with another person. Gloria Anzaldua How to Tame a Wild Tongue summary argues out her point of view of language. Language has a lot to do with her identity and believes she has been judged by it. She speaks different dialects of Spanish and English. She considers the majority of people to be heterogeneous because they speak different languages just as she does. The differences I see are more in the dialect rather than the language. Should we consider that speaking a different dialect implies speaking a different language or not?

“You” and “yo”

In a phrase:

• “ Yo! Over here !” or “ Yo, that ain’t cool ”
• And: “You, come here”

Note that both phrases are in English, however different dialects have been used. Chicanos speak different dialects of Spanish and English. They are more of an identity, a culture rather than a language.

In the essay How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Anzaldua has formed a relationship between her identity and the different languages. We as individuals speak a variety of languages, and she attributes it to the fact that we are complex. She further describes us as being heterogeneous people. Examples of languages as per the essay on page 166 include:

English – Slang, working class, and standard English

• North Mexican
• Standard Spanish
• Standard Mexican

According to her expression of heterogeneous people, we can conclude that she is referring to individuals with a variety of traits that makes it challenging for people from other cultures from understanding them. Differences not from language but rather identity and background.

The Chicano people, according to the essay, have suffered greatly from the negative attitudes they receive from other cultures specifically the Mexican and English speaking people. She investigates their social attitudes towards the Chicano. The majority suffer from an identity crisis and low self-esteem as result. From her experience at the Dentists, her tongue is somewhat stubborn and is a problem for the dentist. It’s a metaphor that denotes to her accent and how it makes her keen on what other people think of her specifically when she speaks. Note that the dentist was not referring to how she speaks but her tongue. As thinks of the stubborn tongue a thought crosses her mind, How to Tame a Wild Tongue The fact that she is conscious of other peoples opinion of her, is an example of just how Chicano people struggle with communicating to individuals from other cultures.

Gloria Anzaldua How to Tame a Wild Tongue summary, shows us that an essential feature is her accent which forms her identity. Language is the key to our identity. Although she has self-esteem issues, she has not let that define her identity. The fact that does not identify with native English and Spanish speakers socially is a problem but she identifies with a group like her. A people facing the same crisis as her, The Chicano people. She was not content and further investigated why her language is considered illegitimate and eventually accepts the facts presented to her.

How to tame a wild tongue analysis highlights the authors experience living in a community that struggled with identity for a long time. Language plays a big role in establishing our identity, it unifies and makes it possible for us to relate to others. Only you can value your language, it is a choice that nobody can take away from you. The language you chose to speak is a personal decision. We are a diverse people and should accept and appreciate that fact.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — How to Tame a Wild Tongue — Rhetorical Analysis of “How To Tame a Wild Tongue”​ by Gloria Anzaldúa

Rhetorical Analysis of "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"​ by Gloria Anzaldúa

• Categories: How to Tame a Wild Tongue Literary Criticism Rhetoric

About this sample

Words: 1041 |

Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 1041 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Anzaldúa, Gloria. “How to Tame a Wild Tongue.” ​Everettsd​, Everettsd, www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwifyJubqKvgAhVKdt8KHajKCccQFjAAegQIChAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.everettsd.org%2Fcms%2Flib07%2FWA01920133%2FCentricity%2FDomain%2F965%2FAnzaldua-Wild-Tongue.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3BiZ3N9xOK8q8uVonl5OOo.
• “Rhetorical Device – Diction Style Guide.” ​Postcolonial Studies​, Curbside Consult, 27 Apr.2018, scholarblogs.emory.edu/chooseyourownadventure/style-guide/rhetorical-device-diction-style-guide/.

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How to Tame a Wild Tongue- Summary and Response

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Summary and Analysis: “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

Gloria Anzaldua, the author of “Borderlands/LaFrontera,” is an American poet and novelist. In her chapter on “How to Tame Wild Tongue,” she expresses her involvements as a woman residing at the boundary of the United States of America and Mexico. She states that women living at the border of these diverse nations are referred to as Mestiza. Mexican immigrants are faced with societal and ethnic challenges as they are treated inferiorly in the United States. Among the themes that the author focuses on in her essay are racism, sexism, identity creation, and the low self-approval that is evident among the Chicanos. Chicanos are Mexican-Americans who possess a mixture of both cultures and therefore lack an original identity.

An Overview of “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

Gloria Anzaldua begins her essay with an incident which involves an appointment with a dentist. The doctor has a hard time treating her teeth due to the obstruction posed by the tongue. She considers this whole incident to be a metaphor. Gloria as well recalls other childhood remembrances, some of which left her with deep agony as she went through many struggles together with her fellow Chicanos being looked down upon. An example of these incidences is when she was secluded from other students, and taken to a corner for trying to spell the teacher’s name. Under normal circumstances, that would not a mistake enough to attract such a heavy punishment. Her being a Chicano definitely added to her woes in that particular incident.

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In her essay, it is evident that the Chicanos are yet to confirm their identity as they are torn between two cultures. The Chicanos speak different languages as they have a variety of parlances. However, Gloria is gratified to be a Chicano. Her love for the Chicanos becomes palpable when she volunteers to train them on how to speak English. She wanted them to have an easy time communicating with people from other cultures. Gloria’s main objective is to construct an identity for the Chicanos to raise their self-esteem and gain respect from their counterparts. She believes this would only be possible if the Chicanos can communicate easily with people from other cultures, hence her resolve to teach them English.

“How to Tame a Wild Tongue” Summary and Analysis

“How to Tame a Wild Tongue” essay has been created to focus on language and identity. The essay reveals that the European conquest had a great political and social-economic influence on the Chicanos as they lived at the perimeter of their land. They therefore played a significant role in rubbing off their identity and language. According to Gloria, language and identity are not synonymous but rather ethnic identity is based on self-endorsement. Gloria is seen to have self-esteem issues due to the negative reactions from the public because she is a Chicano. However, due to self-validation, she has begun to make notable progress. She points out that language defines one’s identity. She however lacks identity as she uses diverse dialects, that is, both Hispanic and English.

Gloria in her essay describes human beings as intricate and assorted as they use different languages. In this respect, she forms an affiliation between her distinctiveness and the different languages she uses. She as well describes the various versions of different languages. English, for example, has three versions: slang, Standard English, and the working class version. Spanish language, on the other hand, has six versions, which include Pachuco, Chicano, standard Spanish, standard Mexican, tex-mex, and north Mexican. According to Gloria, heterogeneous people are people who possess dissimilar mannerisms thus making it grim to comprehend their behavior and identity. The writer investigates why her language is well-thought-out as prescribed. The shreds of evidence that are presented to her are enough proof that the language is banned. She thus admits to it and resolves to identify herself with a group of individuals that suffer the same predicament. The language one uses establishes one’s identity.

Gloria further notes that there has been some improvement in the identification of the Chicanos as political parties have risen to defend their rights as a minority group. Several books have as well been published in Chicano Spanish. However, the answers concerning their language, race, culture, and freedom are yet to be found.

“How to Tame a Wild Tongue” has played a principal role in raising an alarm on various issues that are affecting the American society to-date . Gloria was greatly influenced by the events that took place during the Chicano movement in the 1960s. She was a participant of this very movement. It is therefore right to assume that most of the work was translated from direct involvement with the occurrences. The author’s gender has helped to bring out the themes as required. As a woman living at the border of the USA and Mexico, she must have undergone intense struggles. Among the issues that have been brought out in the article are racism, self-approval, identity construction, and sexism. Gloria’s work is full of knowledge and inspiration to the audience.

According to the poet, the process through which the Chicanos change their social, psychological, and cultural patterns is forceful and involves a lot of violence. They receive a lot of negative reaction due to their modes of expression and their accent. The author’s description of this situation as linguistic terrorism is one of the forces of the essay. It is apparent from her argument that languages are biased and unreceptive to social and ethnic revolution. She as well makes it clear that identity formation depends on the control level of one’s social involvement. The bold ideas that are depicted in the “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” essay were developed in the author’s involvement in the Chicano movement.

Research has it that Mexican-Americans have been isolated for a long time in history for over two centuries. They were denied access to quality education compared to Native American citizens. In most cases, they were sent to vocational schools where the education was not up to standard. Their children were punished for using the Spanish language in their classrooms instead of English. The Mexican-American children, therefore, developed low self-approval as they were mortified of their origin. This lead to an upsurge in the rate of school dropout as the cultural domination led to increased stigmatization.

The Mexican-American children felt left out as they could not involve themselves in sporting and recreational activities together with their peers as they were often kept away from all forms of activities. On the same note, Mexicans-American adults did not have access to well-paying jobs, and therefore their living standards were way too low compared to the quality of life that Native Americans enjoyed. The Chicanos were looked down upon by Native American citizens. The segregation of the Chicano’s resulted in an increased crime rate due to lack of necessities while others aimed at revenging against the Americans. They were not consulted when it came to decision making and developments issues, unlike other regions.

The author was proficient and operational in divulging her emotional state through the facts that had been collected from history. I sturdily believe that every human being ought to live according to his cultural norms and values without having to be looked down upon by others. The article clearly states that according to the constitution, Congress should not create any law regarding the institution of religion, curtailing of liberty to discourse or press, and the right of persons to amass and lobby the government for a redress of grumbles. The author states that her tongue will be illegitimate until the time she will be at liberty to write bilingually without having to interpret to either the English speakers or the Spanish speakers. Everyone has the right to express his/her thoughts no matter the situation, location, or the people involved.

I strongly believe that protests are very effective when it comes to raising grievances. One has the right to protest if the protests will be of great benefit to the society. I feel that Gloria champions for accommodation of minorities in all sectors be it education, employment, empowerment, or identification. People from all cultural backgrounds should have access to equal opportunities without stigmatization and prejudice. In this respect, Gloria through “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” wanted to ascertain the future generations of the Chicanos did not have to experience the struggles she underwent in her life especially as a woman.

Human beings have diverse responsibilities in society. These roles are socially indomitable.

There is a strong affiliation between social contributions and identity formation. The affiliation is dependent on various variables that include political, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.

Language goes hand in hand with the identification of culture. Language variations lead to instability of culture. The contributing factors of culture are political, economic, and terrestrial conditions.

Make use our effective thesis generator tool to generate a good thesis statement.

“How to Tame a Wild Tongue” points out the experiences of the author as a Chicano and the hardships the Chicanos underwent for decades. Language is the key factor that contributes to identity construction. It helps to create unity and acts as a mode of communication and interaction with others. The world contains billions of people who use diverse dialects and therefore it is upon each person to appreciate their language. It is imperative that people learn to put up with each other. A nation can accrue many benefits from being multicultural. The author addressed the themes of racism, low self-esteem, cultural domination, and identity creation effectively.

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