Critical Reading and Rhetorical Modes - Assignment Example

Rhetorical Modes Rhetorical modes are used by most through which they try to communicate with the reader by the use of compositional techniques such as narration, description, classification and definition among others. In this book, the author used comparison and contrasts with the statement "my mouth is a mother lode” to compared her mouth being full of silver bits tickling into the basin, as the capability to communicate in multiple dialects to the real meaning of the statement that is a place rich in gold or silver.

Secondly, description as a mode has been used in trying to capture a vivid picture of the struggle and oppression such as rejection and even punishment. All this was because an attempt to express herself through different languages that were seen as "illegitimate." Notably, this is evident in the second excerpt when she explains, “my tongue keep pushing out the wads of cotton, and pushing back the drills and the long thin needles.” Cause and effect is a mode that analyzes the connection between elements and finds a reason for their relationship.

For instance, Chicano Spanish is because of the need for identity, means of communication and secrecy among the people had no known original language considered as the cause of the development of Chicano Spanish.Moreover, the author in trying to categorize the different people with whom she shared different language when communicating with has used modes like classification. For example, with Mexican she will speak standard Mexican Spanish. When in her parents companion, she uses Chicano Texas Spanish; with Arizonans, she will use Chicano Spanish and English for California.

Lastly, the author in trying to explain the term “Anglicism” and “Pachuco” has used definition. Whereby, the author describes it as distorted English and a language of rebellion because it is against both Spanish and English. The language is made up of slang words from both English and Spanish. For example, churo means sure, Simon means yes.Work CitedAnzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands: The New Mestiza La Frontera. San Francisco: Spinsters/Aunt Lute, 1987. Print.