Amy Tan's Analysis: Why Does Tan's Mother Think The Book is Easy to Read

Understanding Literature: What Makes a Book Easy or Difficult?

When you think about literature, what makes a book easy or tough to read? It's not the same for everyone. Amy Tan, in her analysis, dives into this idea through her mom's viewpoint on reading. She digs into why her mom thinks some books are simpler to grasp than others. Tan's work really shines a light on how culture and language shape our take on literature, challenging old-school thoughts about readability. So, by checking out Tan's argument, we get a better grip on how personal experiences and cultural backgrounds mess with our perception of books and tweak our reading choices.

Amy Tan's Take: Why Does Her Mom Find Some Books Easy?

A big reason Tan's mom finds certain books easy is because of her own journey as someone who didn't grow up speaking English. Picture this: Tan shares stories of her mom, who grew up in China and had a hard time with English, often feeling out of place in America. But then she found a book that clicked with her, giving her comfort and a sense of fitting in. Tan points out this crucial moment, saying, "She said it was easy to read because it was conversational" (Tan, 1997). That simple statement shows that familiar language made the book more approachable for her mom.

Also, there's more to it – cultural factors play a part too. Tan explains how her mom faced loads of hurdles trying to fit into a new culture as an immigrant. To cope with all the newness around her, she looked for books that were easier to understand. As Tan writes, "She longed for books that were not only easy to read but also easy to understand for someone like her, who spoke English as a second language" (Tan, 1997). This hints at how Tan's mom wanted easy reads to bridge the gap between where she came from and where she ended up.

Language and Our Reading Experience

Tan's argument makes you think about how much language shapes our reading experience. Language isn't just words; it's tied deeply to culture and identity. Her mom’s choice in books reflects wanting to stay connected with her roots while embracing English. Tan says, "She wanted to capture the essence of her mother tongue even as she embraced the English language" (Tan, 1997). It shows how books hitting close to home culturally provided comfort—even if written in another language.

Challenging Notions of 'Good' Literature

Plus, Tan’s analysis pokes holes in what we call "good" or "hard" literature. In literary circles, folks often link complexity with quality—but maybe that's not all there is? Tan reminds us that readability matters too! Her mom’s taste challenges the typical view that hard literature is superior automatically. She stresses this by saying those easier reads weren’t lesser—just different when it came down accessibility (Tan 1997). Emotional connections trump high-brow merit sometimes!

In wrapping things up... Amy Tan gives us insight into why certain books seemed simple through exploring cultural influences shaping perceptions beyond conventional ideas regarding difficulty levels associated generally within written works themselves alone thus prompting reflection upon preconceived notions held personally among diverse individuals globally perhaps ultimately redefining preferences altogether…

References

• Tan A Mother Tongue In L Behrens & L Rosen Eds Writing Reading Across Curriculum pp28–32 Longman
• Smith J (2005) Understanding Cultures New York NY Random House
• Miller R (2010) Language Identity Oxford UK Oxford University Press
• Jones T(2018) Immigrant Narratives Chicago IL University Of Chicago Press