The Borders Of Identity

 

The Borders Of Identity 

February 7th, 2023

 

(Hain , John. “Insecurity Mind .” Https://Www.flickr.com, Https://Www.flickr.com, 2014, https://www.flickr.com/photos/128431605@N05/15276074898. Accessed 7 Feb. 2023.)

                                                

                                                                The Borders Of Identity

    In Gloria Anzaldúa's narrative and descriptive personal essay titled,  "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" (1987), it is exclaimed that language and heritage identify a person and make them who they are. Ms. Anzaldúa claims that a person's voice and heritage is theirs to own and that they should not be ashamed of who they are and where they come from. The purpose of her narrative and descriptive personal essay is to bring awareness to alienation and the forced accumulation of different cultures whilst attempting to not forget one's very own. The intended audience for her essay would be Chicanos/as because she talks about the struggle of having to conform to the culture and language (English) of America, despite having Hispanic and Indian heritage/culture. 

    Ms. Anzaldúa's essay left me with a feeling of deep thought. As I read throughout her experience dealing with the struggles of culture and her unwavering acceptance of who she is I began to understand more about what defines truly defines who you are as a person and your identity. I can personally relate to her work because I too am sometimes conflicted on who I am in relation to others and how my actions and how I talk will affect what others think of me.

     Gloria Anzaldúa's narrative and descriptive personal essay entail how her culture, her heritage, and her speech define who she is as a person. She goes over the conflicts and dangers of forced alienation/accumulation of a culture that is not hers and the insecurities and issues that sprout even when she is with people that share her same culture. Her essay is one that tells of racism, sexism, and forced alienation of a culture. In Ms. Anzaldúa's essay, she states, "I grew up feeling ambivalent about our music. Countrywestern and rock-and-roll had more status. In the 50s and 60s, for the slightly educated and agringado Chicanos, there existed a sense of shame at being caught listening to our music. Yet I couldn't stop my feet from thumping to the music, could not stop humming the words, nor hjde from myself the exhilaration I felt when I heard it" (Anzaldúa). This quote is important because it shows that even people that shared her culture were ashamed of it's history/works while she embraced it. Ms. Anzaldúa also states,  "In childhood we are told that our language is wrong. Repeated attacks on our native tongue diminish our sense of self. The attacks continue throughout our lives" (Anzaldúa). This quote relates to the issue of who we are and what defines us. Our language/native tongue are our sense of identity and what we come from. Overall, Ms. Anzaldúa's essay is about accepting one's culture and self, their native language and tradition's and although learning other cultures is important, one should never forget where they come from and who they are.

 

 

                                                                       Works Cited

 

                    Anzaldúa , Gloria . “Gloria Anzaldúa – How to Tame a Wild Tongue.” Genius, 1987, https://genius.com/Gloria-anzaldua-how-to-tame-a-wild-tongue-annotated. Accessed 7 February 2023

                     Hain , John. “Insecurity Mind .” Https://Www.flickr.com, Https://Www.flickr.com, 2014, https://www.flickr.com/photos/128431605@N05/15276074898. Accessed 7 Feb. 2023.