Rhetorical Analysis of "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"​ by Gloria Anzaldúa

In “​How to Tame a Wild Tongue​”, Gloria Anzaldúa narrates her experience growing up as a Chicana, a Mexican-American living in the United States. Growing up in Texas, people around her made her feel that speaking Chicano Spanish or English with a Chicano accent was wrong, or shameful. In her essay, she expresses how she feels that the only way for Chicanos to persuade English speaking Americans to accept Chicanos as equals in their society is by proving their capability to speak English with an American accent. Chicanos, then, feel like they are expected to abandon their heritage and culture in order to fit in. Anzaldúa relies on using various rhetorical strategies to allow her audience to understand her experiences and struggles living in the United States and not being fluent in English. She explains situations where she is ridiculed for speaking her native tongue, talks about events that occured that readers of different backgrounds can relate to, and uses other strategies, all to bring feelings of compassion and sympathy amongst her audience. She attempts to bring attention to the social issues in the United States through her writing and does so with the aid of various rhetorical devices. This can allow readers, whose first language is English, to understand the alienation faced by those with a differing native tongue. She also brings comfort to other Chicano’s and people whose native tongue is not English, showing them that not only are they not alone, but that it is also completely acceptable to speak English with an accent and to take pride of their native tongue.

Anzaldúa uses a passionate and critical tone in her writing. She mixes in Spanish in her English writing, showing her pride in her native tongue. She also uses italics when she writes in Spanish, probably to put more emphasis on the text and her pride in her Spanish heritage. These are all examples of diction, which is a rhetorical device that refers to the author’s word choice as well as style of expression. Diction, as a rhetorical device, sets the tone in a piece of writing. Mixing in Spanish within her English writing is a clever way to allow the reader feel what it was like for her to not understand every English sentence she read (Rhetorical Device). Anzaldúa’s use of diction allows the fluent English speaking readers feels confused and somewhat embarrassed, feeling like they are expected to understand Spanish and should be able to, but can not, putting them in her shoes as a Chicano trying to read English. She also shows a great sense of pride in native tongue, which is significant for her Chicano listeners who notice the Spanish mixed in. Her purpose in her writing is to show people that they should not be shameful of their native tongue and the accent that comes with it when speaking English.

Anzaldúa uses first hand experiences in her essay to show the reader her various struggles. Beginning her essay with an anecdote of her time at the dentist does a great job setting the tone of the story for all readers, whether they can relate to her experience or not, as the dentist brings fear and discomfort to almost anyone. She describes the anger and frustration in the dentist’s tone when he says he needs to control her tongue and that he’s never seen anything as strong or stubborn (Anzaldúa 33). Mentioning this is Anzaldúa’s way of using pathos, the rhetorical device that appeals to emotions, and it works effectively to make any reader understand her perspective. The reader is able to understand the awkwardness and shame that comes with an authority figure feeling frustrated with them over something they can not control, something that is a part of who they are. Another example of an anecdote she uses, that establishes pathos, is when she describes being caught speaking Spanish during recess. “I remember being caught speaking Spanish at recess - that was good for three licks on the knuckles with a sharp ruler. I remember being sent to the comer of the classroom for 'talking back' to the Anglo teacher when all I was trying to do was tell her how to pronounce my name. 'If you want to be American, speak 'American.' If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong.'” (Anzaldúa 34) Readers feel sympathy for her, understanding that she was undeserving of any form of punishment, as she was only speaking her native tongue.

Anzaldúa also establishes logos, a rhetorical device that persuades the audience by using arguments that the reader would find logical. She informs her readers of the difference between standard Spanish, and the Chicano Spanish she speaks. She explains the Anglo-American Colonization and the Chicano movement, and how this affected and brought about the Chicano dialect. “Even our own people, other Spanish speakers ​nos quieren poner candados en la boca. They would hold us back with their bag of ​reglas de academia” ​(Anzaldúa 35). She discusses how even her own Spanish people, have a problem with her Chicano Spanish or her accented English. “I have been accused by various Latinos and Latinas. Chicano Spanish is considered by the purist and by most Latinos deficient, a mutilation of Spanish.” (Anzaldúa 35). She describes ow non-Chicano Spanish speakers in the United States made her feel for speaking her native tongue, what they considered a mutilation of Spanish. She uses her first-hand experiences to allow her audience to feel more accepting of their real cultural heritage, and to have more confidence in embracing it.

Anzaldúa does a significant job using rhetorical devices to educate readers about the struggles Chicanos faced in the United States. She also establishes a great sense of pride in her heritage, for readers who can relate to her struggles to take more pride in their heritage as well. She shows the power others within her culture held over her expecting her to be submissive, regardless of how she felt. She displays various experiences from her point of view, showing her audience what it feels like to live through these situations as a Chicano.

Works Cited

1. Anzaldúa, Gloria. “How to Tame a Wild Tongue.” ​Everettsd​, Everettsd, www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwifyJubqKvgAhVKdt8KHajKCccQFjAAegQIChAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.everettsd.org%2Fcms%2Flib07%2FWA01920133%2FCentricity%2FDomain%2F965%2FAnzaldua-Wild-Tongue.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3BiZ3N9xOK8q8uVonl5OOo.
2. “Rhetorical Device – Diction Style Guide.” ​Postcolonial Studies​, Curbside Consult, 27 Apr.2018, scholarblogs.emory.edu/chooseyourownadventure/style-guide/rhetorical-device-diction-style-guide/.