She mentions the figure that most Asian students in schools are not enrolled in artistic courses, such as creative writing. Tan elaborates this idea by scrutinizing her mother's language, her own use of English and society's response to different people's English usage. How did railroads help boost industrialization? An overarching theme of Tans novel is mothers emigrating to America in the hope that their daughters will have better lives than they did. He come to my wedding. I was saying things like, "The intersection of memory upon imagination" and "There is an aspect of my fiction that relates to thus-and-thus'--a speech filled with carefully wrought grammatical phrases, burdened, it suddenly seemed to me, with nominalized forms, past perfect tenses, conditional phrases, all the forms of standard English that I had learned in school and through books, the forms of English I did not use at home with my mother. And my mother was standing in the back whispering loudly, "Why he don't send me check, already two weeks late. /Length 7 0 R She says even her husband started speaking this kind of English together and that it has come to represent intimacy. Theyll help you make Amy Tan proud by assisting with proper language and other editing. Tan mentions several different emotions when talking about her mothers English. "9 [5 In Amy Tan's short story "Mother Tongue," explain the essence - eNotes I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of languagethe way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth.. Tan. In this respect, if the parable Feathers from a Thousand Li Away acts as preface to the novel, Mother Tongue, in effect, acts as a kind of postscript. As her mother wasn't able to speak English fluently, she wasn't taken seriously by the staff. How could I go about writing four pages about the essay "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan, citing two or more different authors to support my claims? Although Tan clearly appeals to pathos through personal narration and characterization, she makes some appeals to logos. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. But because she is rebellious and likes to challenge peoples assumptions about her, Tan bucked this trend. Her mother's language is colorful, powerful, and direct. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: Audio with Whiteboard Animations \text { Who was John Wilkes Booth? } Describe what the fighting is like and what you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of your army. This point leads on to Tan's presentation of the virtues of her mother's way of speaking. That was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed things, made sense of the world. 4. 10th ed. She recognizes that her mom is in fact able to comprehend complex sentences in English, but just struggles to express herself clearly in the language. Lately, I've been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. What organizational pattern does Tan use in "Mother Tongue," and how does she control her tone? Amy Tan - Books, Short Stories & Movie - Biography In fact, Tan uses the same tone in the beginning and end of her storythe reader starts at a homebase, sees the journey Tan is leading them on, and returns right back to where they started but with more insight than before. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Amy Tan, in full Amy Ruth Tan, (born February 19, 1952, Oakland, California, U.S.), American author of novels about Chinese American women and the immigrant experience. What is the "associative situation" (para. I am going to show you a few of these devices and give you some awesome tips on how to incorporate them into your analysis of Mother Tongue.. A good literary analysis might explain these transitions, and how they affect the structure of the piece. 2. Whereas, for me at least, the answers on English tests were always a judgment call, a matter of opinion and personal experience. She says it provides imagery and emotions that standard, grammatically-correct English cannot. 4 0 obj Latest answer posted March 29, 2020 at 10:08:05 AM. I gone to boy's side, they haveYMCA dinner. Fill in the blank spot in the following sentence. -other peoples reactions; how it affected Amy (would make calls for her mom) For example, people with European accents may be perceived as "snooty" or "uptight", while those who speak in AAVE (African American Vernacular English) can be seen as "ghetto" or "thuggish". Consider the story "Mother Tongue." Works have been adapted for film, opera, and TV mother tongue first language Whom does the author focus on in this narrative? Spend some time evaluating the essays structure, and analyze whether it is right for Mother Tongue. Would it have been better as a novel or a poem, or is a short narrative the way to go? Get started for free! -she uses four types of English (the English she grew up with) She acknowledges that when she was growing up, she was ashamed of the way her mother spoke. And then I said in perfect English, "Yes, I'm getting rather concerned. Some visitors on a search for new healing substances (looks, look) at medicinal plants. But many people who hear her mother speak can only partially understand what she is saying, and some even say they can understand nothing of what she says, as if she were speaking pure Chinese to them. Log in here. Why? Amy Tan says that she has come to realize that something unusual goes on with languageat least her own, based upon the Chinese her mother grew up speaking, the English her mother uses as her "second language," Amy's use of this special version of her mother's English, and her own perception that her mother's English was somehow "broken"at least this is how Ms. Tan used to feel. When her mother told her that what she had written was easy to read, Tan knew that she had succeeded in her aims as a writer. Tan, author of "Mother Tongue," explains that her mother's language had the greatest influence on her understanding of English. And all of the ethnic and regional accents in between. possibilities" for people in the United States today? Tan identify the different categories she discusses in "Mother Tongue" almost in the last paragraph, where she named all the kind of English she uses. Much of Tans 1989 novel The Joy Luck Club is about daughters and their relationships with their mothers. The phrase "mother tongue" refers to the language people learn to speak first. It's my mother tongue. Tan calls this a language of intimacy. Amy sets up this comparison by describing a talk that she gave about a book and had given so many times before that it was entirely familiar to her. You should know that my mother's expressive command of English belies how much she actually understands. I cannot give you much more than personal opinions on the English language and its variations in this country or others. Language is a powerful tool, and our ability to use and understand it as humans is one of the main aspects that separate us from other species on Earth. taylor_garrett36. But I wince when I say that. What does that phrase mean to you? Answer: to inform readers based on Tan's childhood experience Explanation: Amy tan is a Chinese-American writer, she is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and her books reflect a lot on what she has experienced witnessing the culture clash between Chinese and North American cultures. Students are most likely to conclude that Tan and her mother do have a close relationship and should support their opinion with at least three of the following examples: a. In Tan's experience with the SATs, it was suggested that Tan's strengths lie within mathematics and science because of her higher scores on those exams; it didn't account for her struggle with understanding the format of the test questions. c. Her mother relies on and trusts Tan to talk to the doctors about the CAT scan. Tan uses it with this definition, but also utilizes it to refer to the language her mom spoke (Chinese). Tan was born on February 19, 1952, in Oakland, California. In "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan uses people's inclination to assume as a way of exploring the subject of identity. Amy Tan's 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 worth. She is the second of three children born to Chinese immigrants, Daisy and John Tan. Finally, Tan highlights the absurdity of writing a book about the relationships between mothers and daughters which her own mother could not understand. What is Amy Tans primary identity according to what she says in paragraphs 1-3 of "Mother Tongue"? /SA true Answers will vary but should include points similar to the following: a. Tan includes the story to give readers an example of just how her mother's English sounds and how expressive it is. She is just as special a person, despite what language she uses or how she uses it. 2. Eliasib. Writer discussed: Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue" (Link to story) Amy Tan is speaking of writing her book "Joy Luck Club" (there's a scene below), so in that sense it works as a good example of a literacy narrative in that Tan writes about writing something. How is Amy Tan's use of the phrase "mother tongue" ambiguous? 6. Life Span 4 . -talking to her mom "My mother was in the room", Tan quotes a "terrible line" she once wrote "That was my mental quandary in its nascent state." You can read Mother Tongue here before proceeding to our summary and analysis of Amy Tans essay below. Indeed, Tan conjectures that many Asian American children are probably encouraged to pursue careers in jobs requiring maths and science rather than English for this reason. And Tan drew on all the Englishes, plural, that she knew: the broken English her mother used, the simple English Tan used when talking to her mother, the watered-down Chinese her mother used, and her mothers internal language which conveyed her passion, intent, imagery, and the nature of her thoughts. It was most gratifying to Amy Tan when her mother read The Joy Luck Club, Amy's first book. I am doing an assignment about the essay "Mother Tongue," but I am having a hard time understanding the claim of the author and the target audience. Accessed 2 May 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. 5) "In Amy Tan's short story "Mother Tongue," explain the essence of what "mother tongue" signifies in the story." Tan believed that her mother's English reflected the quality of what she had to say-that the imperfections in her speech meant that her ideas were just as imperfect. The same was true with word analogies, pairs of words in which you were supposed to find some sort of logical, semantic relationship -- for example, "Sunset is to nightfall as is to ." Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. What argument is Tan making here about language and its connection to our identity in "Mother Tongue"? literature. How does each have its own type of power? What is the author's purpose, style, and tone in the story? Here's what she said in part: "Du Yusong having business like fruit stand. Why does she divide the essay into three parts? As a writer, she used the rigid, grammatical acrolect she had learned at school; as a daughter, she used the more forceful, vivid English spoken by her mother, for which she cannot even find a name, since she dislikes calling it "broken.". My mother had gone to the hospital for an appointment, to find out about a benign brain tumor a CAT scan had revealed a month ago. 3. The Qin bureaucracy had civil and military divisions and a justekst\underline{\phantom{\text{justekst}}}justekst. How does she establish ethos by this juxtaposition? However, Tans mothers English also symbolizes the limitations of immigrants in America and the challenges they have to face to be accepted. Students may conclude that Tan and her mother did not have a close relationship if they support this opinion with valid examples. Students in agreement might cite Tan's interpretation of analogy questions and Cisneros's poor school performance but obvious intellect that was nurtured by her family. She points out that her mother is intelligent and reads things which Tan herself cannot begin to understand. 16, Tan)". We used a similar routine just five days ago, for a situation that was far less humorous. She is motivated to make this argument to explain her method as a writer and her intellectual, literary, linguistic, and personal progress in uniting her two identities and to show that these identities need not be separated. -better explain her mother's tongue and how others were effected (including herself) /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . According to Tan, why are so many Asian Americans encouraged to study math and science in college? 3) Tan describes in this essay? eNotes Editorial, 10 Nov. 2019, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/in-amy-tan-s-short-story-mother-tongue-explain-258339. 11th Review / Critical Thinking Questions. What strategies does she use to make this argument? Explain the meaning of Tans title and how it relates to her own identity as both a Chinese American, a daughter, and a writer. Amy Tan "Mother Tongue" Flashcards | Quizlet What is the context of Mother Tongue? What organizational pattern does Tan use in "Mother Tongue," and how does she control her tone? So you'll have some idea of what this family talk I heard sounds like, I'11 quote what my mother said during a recent conversation which I videotaped and then transcribed. . She reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week, converses daily with her stockbroker, reads all of Shirley MacLaine's books with ease--all kinds of things I can't begin to understand. Two Kinds Summary - eNotes.com https://www.etsy.com/shop/TolentinoTeaching?ref=seller-platform-mcnavSubscribe to Tolentino Teaching for online teaching resources: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxVnC3TU90xGfwGGJj--dHA?view_as=subscriberHere is the software I use to make my videos: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=18708\u0026awinaffid=844903\u0026p=Where I get my background music: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/pg826v/Microphone I use: https://amzn.to/3kYpflxMy favorite books on writing:The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker: https://amzn.to/38m0FWmHow to Argue with a Cat by Jay Hendrichs: https://amzn.to/2MWQXCsThe Elements of Style Fourth Edition: https://amzn.to/2MZeentOn Writing Well by William Zinsser: https://amzn.to/30ouPnJMy Social Media LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tolentinoteaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tolentinoteaching/?eid=ARCDTu1yPrWNU95MIiqiab32h2xup6OJBVFlENV03XB6HHUOFxeS0gGlYvdIx-bKlzwzEW7N8uwtCagPTwitter: https://twitter.com/TolentinoTeach**Disclaimer: Tolentino Teaching is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and AWIN, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com and http://paidforadvertising.com/ What is your response to Amy Tan's point about the value of different languages? Find examples of peopleincluding Tan herselftreating her mother. She used all of the "Englishes" she grew up with, giving her more connection to her work, and with the audience as well. 4)_g|a>x{9}=vyG`?>x}.(72qgn>n * {1Mo$*=rnZ|!:Oc@`g=~l^0r8 WC,f;8vu4[e$Nexug (Byo O9|'uc+#Wv8Ee,9 :?6Ns C;0:j1E 66S~o^xzYX8R9 g= ^NTw{ _s7@ "1s m?M ;o V6'=:h 5. indiiigo. Mother Tongue Questions and Answers - eNotes.com What incident in "Mother Tongue" makes Tan aware of the different Englishes that she speaks? 8 . 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Who is the intended audience for "Mother Tongue"? >> /SM 0.02 Hopefully this list leaves you feeling like youre no longer short on ideas for your analysis of this short story. In dividing the essay into sections, she is able to flow through to her points clearly and subtly. The author notes that the language her mother speaks is very different than "American English," but that it is deceiving in that her mother understands more than one might think when listening to her speak. How does she use language in the rest of her story to portray this rebelliousness? Latest answer posted March 28, 2020 at 9:26:15 PM. But once Tan had arrived and upon hearing her perfect English, the staff had taken the case up with more urgency. -influenced Amy's writing (four Englishes) d. Her mother is the audience (reader) for The Joy Luck Club, a book about mother-and-daughter relationships. Analysis of "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan: DRAFT - GraduateWay Here is the text: http://www.umsl.edu/~alexanderjm/Mother%20Tongue%20by%20Tan.pdfSupport me by buying mugs, t-shirts, notebooks and more! Like others, I have described it to people as 'broken" or "fractured" English. One time it was a call to her stockbroker in New York. Identify the message of Tan's essay, "Mother Tongue." Many of the mothers in The Joy Luck Club, such as Betty St. Clair in The Voice from the Wall, feel isolated from those around them, never at home in America, and hyper-aware of their outsider status, despite becoming legal permanent citizens in the country. three subjects eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Her mother, too, was clearly aware of how her use of the language affected how seriously people took her, for she used to get her daughter to phone people and pretend to be Mrs Tan.

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