Only Daughter and Mother Tongue - Essay Example

Comparing ‘Only Daughter’ and ‘Mother Tongue’ In a way it may be observed that though Amy Tan and Sandra Cisneros havehad distinct origins in terms of nationality, culture, language, and general environment in which they were brought up, the readers of ‘Mother Tongue’ and ‘Only Daughter’ by the respective authors may recognize significant points of similarity. Both writers acknowledge the contributions of their roots and family ties in the process of learning to find remarkable essence in English and love of communicating effectively especially with their parents who occur to be the primary concern in their attempt to simplify approach in writing.

Through the use of English to the level of comprehension of Sandra’s father and of Amy’s mother, both authors had been able to satisfy or serve ease of reading for these target audiences. While it may also be noted that each writer had quite an equal gravity of struggle as the other, Sandra Cisneros was particularly interested in changing his father’s conventional view of her role as a woman and a daughter. Sandra necessitated a creation that would stir her father into realization of her incredible worth as a daughter, and an empowered woman who could go beyond domestic confines and exhibit potentials or perform tasks as well as men can.

Besides making her father acquire smooth understanding of her work, Sandra desired to please him so she may obtain fair paternal treatment of her capacity, one equating that of her brothers even when she had not met his expectation of marrying after college. On the other hand, Amy did not hint on gender issue yet her examination of humble beginnings especially with the ‘broken English’ of her mother led her to acclaim diverse experience with English of several kinds or to consider that ‘mother tongue in English does not only refer to the proper or the Western standard.

Owing to her mother whose unrefined tongue for English has caused severe discrimination, Amy implied that her sensible knowledge and skills would not have reached intricacy and flexibility in form if not through the ‘Englishes’, both impeccable and imperfect alike, that have shaped her own into a language of wonderful complexity.