Junot Diaz Drown Research Paper

Part One, Language and Identity, includes personal essays that explore the struggles of two individuals with issues of identity connected to the languages they were raised to

For more than 300 years, immigrants from every corner of the globe have settled in America, creating the most diverse and heterogeneous nation on Earth. Though immigrants have given much to the country, their process of changing from their homeland to the new land has never been easy. To immigrate does not only mean to come and live in a country after leaving your own country, but it also means to deal with many new and unfamiliar situations, social backgrounds, cultures, and mainly with the acquisition and master of a new language. This often causes mixed emotions, frustration, awkward feelings, and other conflicts. In Richard Rodriguez’s essay “Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood”, the author

In Richard Rodriguez's essay , “ Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood ” he writes about how he struggled as a child who only spoke Spanish language but lives in a society where the “public” language is English . He believes that speaking proper English will somehow help him fit into society and find his “true” identity. Throughout the essay he contrast the Spanish language identity and English language identity. As a young boy, Rodriguez finds consolation and safety in his home where they only speak Spanish. He feels that he only has a true identity when he is at home surrounded by those who speak the same language as him . On the contrary , he becomes trapped and disoriented when not being able to speak / understand the English language . He feels as if he is not part of “their world” and has no identity in society. By comparing and contrasting Spanish language identity and English language identity . Rodriguez's essay is an example that speaking different languages should not make anyone choose an identity . In fact being able to speak and understand multiple languages in his case Spanish and English makes the language a part of his identity, but with two different sides .

While “[l]anguage is [considered to be] a crucial component of identity and self-formation. Self-presentation and biographical experiences are revised, rehashed, and refigured through particular strategic uses of language” (Manalansan, p 48). Lorena Fontaine grew up feeling “a bit ashamed about our language, and our identity because it seemed like they were. Meaning my parents, my aunts, and uncles were ashamed too in some way, because they didn’t want to talk about it, they didn’t want to share with us about who we were” (Stolen Children | Residential School Survivors Speak Out).

"Identity is the essential core of who we are as individuals, the conscious experience of the self inside" - Kaufman (Anzuldύa 62). Coming to America and speaking more than one language, I often face similar situations as Gloria Anzaldύa and Amy Tan. Going to high school where personal image is a big part of a student 's life is very nerve racking. American Values are often forced upon students and a certain way of life is expected of them. Many times, in America, people look down on people who do not accept the American Way of Life. The struggle of "fitting in" and accepting the cultural background is a major point in both essays, _Mother Tongue_ by Amy Tan and _How to Tame a Wild Tongue_ by

Montgomery, an independent scholar teaching at the university of Washington in Seattle, argues that English “could bring extinction to native languages” (Montgomery 579), and he goes on to say that “knowing English alone will not be enough and that “monolingual speakers will increasingly find themselves approaching the edges of a desert where they have less access to a greater part of the outside world” (Montgomery 582). He argues that the presence of other languages helps preserve culture and identity. Speaking a different language is not always a bad thing. Not everyone should feel like they must completely take in themselves and forget about their language when transitioning into the American culture. Nowadays, speaking multiple languages is becoming very relevant to the society since the number of immigrants has drastically increased.

Language is defined as a system for the expression of thoughts and feelings by the use of spoken words (dictionary.com). We hear our first language before we are born. We enter the world with the ability to be comforted by the sounds we came to understand before we came out of our mother’s womb. As we grow, we use our words to express who we are becoming as an individual. We may use the same words as others, but the style of speaking we use is one that we develop over time, and is specific to us. Our language is a part of who we are and can separate us as individuals. It is a part of our personal identity. Knowing who we are also means knowing where we come from and having a connection to our heritage. In the first chapter of Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory, he begins to tell the story of his decision to give up his native tongue of Spanish and begin to assimilate to American culture, with the belief he can be more successful speaking English. He argues that it is best for the student in the long run to be fully immersed with the English language, and does not believe that bilingual education, in which non-English speaking students are taught English language courses together with other subjects in their native language, is beneficial.

In Gloria Anzaldua’s “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”, she illustrates that one-way identity can be perceived is through language. You can tell or assume a lot about a person by the language they speak. The language you speak is a part of your culture, and your culture is what defines a person most. Anzaldua expresses her frustration with not being fully entitled to speaking her language in her essay.

Language is a very power thing; it can create change or destroy someone or something. Immigrants will always be made fun of because the way they sound. No matter how advance civilization will get, racial profiling will always exist. In the essay ‘Mother Tongue’, by Amy Tan, she has shared her experience growing up in an immigrant household, where everyone in her house talked a different version of English, and that she learned a different version at school. Growing up, Tan was many time asked to communicate with others over the phone, as if she was the mother, which made her feel shameful. That even though her mother speaks broken English, she still understands her well. These stories and experience help Tan prove that just because one cannot

Language and identity are two things that are very closely related. In the excerpt of “How to Tame a wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua, the author does an excellent job of explaining how identity and language blend right together. By hearing someone speak their language one could determine a person’s cultural values and their identity. In the excerpt Anzaldua says, “For a people who cannot entirely identify with either standard Spanish or English, what recourse is left to them but to create their own language?” By this quote, author is trying to show that it is very important for a person to connect with their language because the way someone speaks a language will reflect their identity and their value in a society.

In Antonio’s home Spanish was favored over English, making it “a foreign tongue” to Antonio who could only hear “strange sounds,” instead of actual words (Anaya 57, 58). Apart from the language barrier, others were not especially welcoming of Antonio’s diversity. Antonio took out his lunch, which consisted of foods he often enjoyed at home, and “when the other children saw [his] lunch they laughed and pointed,” which further widened the gap between Antonio and his classmates (Anaya 58). The strange new world filled with odd people upset Antonio because he “did not understand them” and he felt as though he “was an outcast” in his class (Anaya 58, 59). However, Antonio did find some comfort in finding others who were going through a similar struggle. They formed a group “and in [their] union found strength,” as they no longer felt so alone (Anaya 59). Likewise, immigrants often feel alienated in a new society. Similar to Antonio, many immigrants face language barriers and unwelcoming people. In addition, immigrants “[find] it difficult to connect” because of the diversity of the cultures (Semuels). An immigrant describes life “’like [living] in a parallel world’” because of the separation felt between the things occurring in one’s life and the things taking place in the society (Semuels). Both Antonio and immigrants in our world often feel out of place in new

In chapter 4, I described how Stich, from Dance Boys, told me he had to consciously reduce his use of English when mixing with Tshepo and Fly Eight’s group in order to be accepted. The Fly Eights regard those who use English as posers and outsiders who have taken on mainstream values and are not exhibiting a ‘true’ township identity. Bucholtz and Hall (2005) theoretical viewpoint on legitimization/ delegitimazation to show who belongs and who does not becomes explicit here.

<center><b>What constitutes the 'tribulations of the self' in contemporary society, according to Anthony Giddens? Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.</b></center><br><br>This essay will seek an explanation of what constitutes the 'tribulations of the self' according to Anthony Giddens (1991). In the first part of this paper, I discuss some central ways language has been viewed focusing the review on social constructivist writings as well as those stemming from the study of human development. In the second part of this paper, I discuss data that leads to the reconsideration of aspects of the language - selfhood interface. I conclude by suggesting some future avenues of research.<br><br>First the essay will outline the various

In the second part of this paper, I discuss data that leads to the reconsideration of aspects of the language - selfhood interface. I conclude by suggesting some future avenues of research.First the essay will outline the various tribulations that Giddens describes in

“Unlike a drop of water which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society in which he lives. Man's life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self”. B.R. Ambedkar, in Develop with Fact: Neutralizing the Catalysts of Downturn, p. 57. There are many different languages spoken around the world. Sometimes it can create a barrier when trying to communicate. Other times it may cause you to be judged because you have a different accent, or you use different terminology. Language can play a small role in how people’s identities are formed., The language variety that you speak as a native language is closely tied to your geographical identity.