Thanks to the COM352 students for contributing a bunch of new pages! I'll be moving these pages into the main area of the wiki soon.

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Finding The Solution
Paul Bonacci

In passages, novels, or poems there is always an expressed opinion. We, as human beings, will always have an opinion towards someone or something, no matter what it is. Opinions show in our history of writing. Ever since man and woman could read and write, the reason was to express their feelings, emotions, points of view and different problems that were on their mind. In the passage, 'How to Tame a Wild Tongue' by Gloria Anzaldúa, she describes her feelings towards the idea of her when she was a foreign child forced to assimilate into the American society by speaking English all the time. For Anzaldúa this was not easy, and it still is not easy for many who have the same problem today with overcoming society’s burden toward the language barrier. ‘How to Tame a Wild Tongue,’ explains if there are any solutions. Anzaldúa states many opinions; for some of the views she has I agree with, however there are also reasons why I disagree with the author.

There are many things that I agree with in this passage, including the quotes Anzaldúa puts into her piece. For instance, this statement by Ray Gwyn Smith, "Who is to say that robbing a people of it language is less violent than war. Smith compares forcing a language to physical violence and puts the situation in you hands, asking if it is any different. My point of view when I read this is, I strongly agree. It applies to all countries, not only The United States, but also any other country with a native language. I myself would be extreme aggravated, if I was forced to learn the language of a country where I lived. However, in a way if I were to go to a distant country, in order for me to live and actually not be lost 24 hours a day in the translation, I would have to learn the native language. That is what it must feel like when Gloria Anzaldúa first moved here to America. But, in order to survive and prosper in a distant country one must learn the language, no matter how hard it is. So though I agree with the quote the truth is that one must learn the true language of the nation.

Another thing that Anzaldúa writes, which I do agree with is not a direct quote by her or by a famous philosopher, but the idea she create when starting this literary piece. She links the physical action of moving the tongue out of the way for her dentist because he is unable to work on her mouth. This symbol is key in this passage, representing the idea in a nutshell. The problem of this 'Wild Tongue' is getting in the way and supposedly there is no way the tame it. In life, moving to a foreign country and trying not to speak you language to the natives is impossible and this tongue of yours will only get you into trouble. This connection shows how hard it could be for some people not being able to tame this tongue or theirs. The dentist represents the society, showing how society is against the topic of foreign speaking people. Anzaldúa represents the foreigner and tells the dentist how hard it is for her and many others to control her tongue.

However, the one thing that I do not agree with is the final point of view Anzaldúa has on the solution on how to tame a wild tongue. She states: 'Wild tongues can't be tamed, they can only be cut out. In other words, there is no solution. To Anzaldúa there is no point of even trying to control yourself because a foreign society will never accept you and your home language because you will slow down the movement and the flow of things. However, I believe this is untrue because if you surround yourself with people whom are of the same country as you and understand your language that can be your society. Many foreigners today are still able to obtain work and still able to live a respectable life with the small amount of English they do know. So there is hope. There is always a way to get around the norm and able to go your own route. For Anzaldúa it will just have to take time, that is her one an only roadblock.

Writing is a way to express yourself. It is a way to express your problems efficient way. Poems, essays and other literary pieces all have the emotion and a powerful way used to express through words. For Anzaldúa telling us her story, her problems and the reactions she held toward the situation, we as readers understand her problems and put the same situation in our own hands.