Mother Tongue by Amy Tan - Book Report/Review Example

Instruction: Task: “Mother Tongue.” In Mother Tongue by Amy Tan, the focuses on the way that an individual’s English can determine how they interact with those around them and the subsequent perspective that people get from their way of communication. As such, Amy Tan tries to highlight how predispositions do not always give the right impression about an individual. Moreover, her main aim is to show that what a person communicates, the meaning, is far more important than the manner or way that it is communicated. Given that communication is one of the most important distinguishing features that define humans, the different ways and means that affect communication is of particular importance. And throughout Mother Tongue, Amy Tan seems to emphasize on this importance. In all, the basic point is how coping and getting into a person’s mind is particularly important in trying to understand their way of thinking, and subsequently understanding their communication. Consequently, Tan highlights how an individual can take control of any situation and use it to their advantage for the betterment of all the parties involved, in a manner that would seem most unlikely. As already pointed out, the manner of speech is not as important as the meaning of the words used, and the society should not focus so much on the way that a person communicates, rather people should focus on the intent and meaning. According to Tan, the mainstream way of thinking can easily become a hindrance towards communication, and she goes about describing how everyone has their own approach to the aspect of language and communication. The most important thing is to find a way of understanding a person’s perspective without clouding one’s judgement with the mainstream standpoint. This is the major intent that the author is focusing on in writing the essay. From the start, Tan highlights her obsession with language and communication techniques. She becomes aware of the fact that there seems to be different forms of language that are used in various contexts to yield diverse results. Even though she is used to giving talks about her writing, the presence of her mother suddenly makes her aware of the fact that she has to slightly adjust her mode of speech to accommodate the mother. She realizes that she is exactly at the thin line that connects her private and professional life, which largely translates to her communication given that she is an author of sorts. Additionally, her relationship with her mother, and the form of communication that they maintain is different from that that she uses in her professional life. From this onset, it is clear how communication patterns are different in the various contexts in which they are used, and the corresponding perception that the society draws from them is equally astounding. Throughout Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, there are ideas and points on how the society is structured in a manner such that people are given services and treated according to their means of communication. The difference that exists between formal and informal communication is so wide that it may hinder service delivery in certain instances. Tan gives a very good example when she recounts an incident in which a certain hospital claims to have lost a CAT scan for her mother’s benign brain tumour. It is clear that the hospital is frustrating Tan’s mother solely based on her inability to express herself in a comprehensible manner. Instead of just taking their time and trying to understand her, they assume that she is not really that important just because she cannot speak in fluent English. This is demonstrated the moment the daughter, Tan, calls and requests that the CAT scan be availed. Tan highlights the swiftness and the accompanying reassurance that the scan would be found, solely based on the fact that she was extremely fluid in her communication. Tan shows how the society is limited in the manner that language defines how one is treated. For the better part of her life, Tan’s mother has always been looked down upon due to her lack of command of the English language. Tan tries to show that despite this widespread contempt for people like her mother, they actually know exactly what they need, only that getting them into comprehensible sentences is their main challenge. Apparently, Tan’s mother can read Forbes reports, listens to Wall Street Week and even converse with her stockbroker daily. This just shows that she actually knows what she is doing and is very much able at comprehending substance. Nonetheless, her inability to express herself in an ‘expected’ manner makes the society look down upon her like she does not know what she is talking about. On the other hand, Tan herself as the daughter can fully understand what her mother is saying, and is continually hurt at the fact that this is not the case with other members of the society. The fact that she can understand her mother, and knows that her mother’s language is full just shows how the society is structured in an unfair manner that judges people based on some pre-set expectations. Tan sets out to try and demystify the perception that how one communicates is a representation of how they actually think. From the time she was young, she always followed the norm and would feel ashamed of the way that her mother spoke. But over time, she understands her mother and realizes that she was wrong in judging her. The struggle that her mother and other people that have a similar difficulty go through is part of the main focus of the story. Tan has both perspectives since she can view it from her mother’s point and the general societal point. From such a standpoint, she sees that the society is wrong in judging, due to the fact that she knows her mother to be fully aware of what she is saying, as opposed to the way the society sees her limited even in thinking. In essence, she even realizes that she can connect with her mother even more after adjusting her way of reasoning. Hence, Tan continually tries to highlight this point by drawing inferences from her own experiences, childhood, and her interaction with the mother. Consequently, she somehow succeeds in making the story some form of eye opener for looking at how the mainstream society often treats individuals who fail to conform to the expectations. This means that after reading the story, one gets an entirely different point of view for people who may have trouble expressing themselves in a clear manner. Taking such people to have a limited reasoning suddenly looks so insensitive and unfair, and this is one of the major aims of the story. Tan’s essay is also directed at a number of audiences given that she understands both sides of the matter of language. She has experience dealing with individuals that lack the ability to be fully comprehensible in the contemporary meaning of the term, and at the same time, she has experience dealing with people that have a more detailed understanding of language. She takes advantage of this position and addresses both audiences. Consequently, individuals like her mother do not have to feel limited in any manner as the society wants them to believe. On the other hand, Tan addresses the mainstream society and tries to encourage empathy and understanding in trying to comprehend how people with ‘limited’ language communicate. By acting as a link between the two parties, she has a better understanding of what she is talking about and this subsequently helps in advancing her agenda. She does this by pointing out that everybody has their own grasp and understanding of language and communication. The notion that those with a ‘proper’ understanding look down upon those with a ‘limited’ understanding is a major cause for concern and Tan points out that understanding a person calls for accommodating their language and mode of expression. By delving into details of her childhood, Tan describes that her mother’s broken English has enhanced her view of language and communication. She seems so proud of the fact that her mother’s form of language and communication is unique. In addition, this uniqueness has defined Tan’s own imagination and thoughts on language. For a start, Tan felt that her mother’s ‘limited’ English was limiting her own possibilities and views on life and language. However, over time she realizes that her mother tongue is actually giving her a better standpoint from which she can study language and communication in general. Therefore, she realizes that although the society has a standard expectation on language and communication, the differences that exist across cultures is something that should actually be appreciated instead of frowned upon. The only thing that really matters, according to Tan’s essay, is the message that someone is trying to pass across. It is a stark representation of semantics against syntax. While the world is so much focused on the syntax, Tan tries to idealize that it is the semantics that actually matters a lot. Moreover, Tan points out how language and communication cannot be viewed to be as precise and specific or clear-cut like other disciplines such as Math. Language has to be dynamic and accommodate the various language patterns and communication techniques available. In any part of the world, or through any life experience and opinion, the answer to a mathematical question will always be the same. This cannot be said for English skills. Tan highlights how language and communication is a direct function of experiences and the language spoken while growing up. She describes how she used to relate everything to her experiences in life, especially her language tests. What makes her case stand out is the different cultural background and heritage that she has courtesy of being an immigrant. She finds herself in an environment that she is not so used to, and this presents an entirely new form of challenge. In addition to how she relates with her mother, Tan explores the importance of accepting one’s identity and appreciating what makes a person unique, instead of being ashamed as a result of trying to conform to the expectations of the society. Through all this, Tan uses various devices and rhetorical techniques. One of the most vivid is her use of repetition. As an example, she constantly states, “I am not a scholar…I cannot give you much more than personal opinions…I am a writer…I am someone who has always loved language. (Tan 26)” There is extensive repetition of “I” which is meant to emphasize her position on language and communication. Through this, she gives her audience some hindsight into her perception on language matters, which is important in understanding the points that she has to pass through. Additionally, she uses anecdotes to describe the details of her experiences with language and communication with her mother. She describes walking down the street with her mother and the way that she was constantly reflecting on the kind of language that she was using. She goes to the extent of quoting the exact words that she used during her experiences with her mother. Apart from the instance where she was walking along with her mother and husband, Tan also details the instance where her mother had gone to the hospital for her CAT scan. Through these anecdotes, Tan expects to give her audience a more detailed understanding of the way that she relates with her mother, and the experiences that her mother underwent due to her ‘limited’ language. This, in addition to the quotations, is very important in showing how the society is structured such that perception and service delivery is based on one’s language and presentation in line with a certain set of standards. Moreover, there is extensive use of imagery whereby her descriptions are highly detailed. This detailing, as in the case with anecdotes, is aimed at expressing the point in as clear a manner as possible. From reading Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, the readers get to learn of the importance of language and communication in the society. Tan admits that she did not value her mother very much early on, but it becomes clear that her mother turns out to be the most important source of inspiration for her. As a result of the lessons she learns from her mother, Tan challenges predispositions and takes up what the society deemed her not to be good at; English language. She goes ahead and excels in it, thereby reinforcing her point that language is all about what people mean by the words they speak, and not the way that they are spoken. As such, a person’s way of expression is not as important as their intentions and what they actually mean by their words. Works Cited. Tan, Amy. “Mother Tongue.” Across Cultures. Eds. Sheena Gillespie and Robert Singleton. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1999, pp. 26-31. Print. Read More