Summary Of Mother Tongue

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan America is a melting pot; it is filled with people with different backgrounds. Many people settled here in America as an immigrant to have more opportunities to start a better life. Many people came here with nothing but their cultures, knowledge, beliefs and behaviors which they shared amongst others in society. In society, starting with the earlier generation there was shared culture of classes, although everyone portrays immigrants as the lowest class. They are always disliked particularly for coming here as an immigrant, even though most people have very similar backgrounds whether they want to admit it or not. It is how one holds themselves in society. People are divided into different classes and are treated

It is always harder for immigrants to fit in with everyone since people are so strict against immigrants; they judge them as outcasts by what they eat, what they wear and especially how one communicates. High culture/elites think they are higher ranking so therefore there is always miscommunication. They think they are more intelligent and wouldn’t want to accept one another because of their status or flaws. In the reading “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan she noticed that there was a significant difference in how she communicates in English whether at home or with whom she is speaking to and or with. While talking amongst intellectuals and in professional settings like her speech seminar, she spoke in Standard English using what she learned and adapted from what was taught in school. She realized there was a slight difference in the way she communicated with people she is close to, a pattern in the way she speaks around them. For example her mother and her husband can’t tell the difference whether she is speaking “broken, fractured or limited” English. Even though her mom can’t speak “perfect” Standard English, don’t misjudge because she can actually understand a lot. She reads and comprehends a lot from

Families at home will have their own style of how they want to communicate, they are not being judged in the comfort of their own home, it is a relaxed environment where everyone will probably speak as they want. It is also comfortable to speak in one way with someone you know for a long period of time because they can adapt to you and they know how you speak even if no one else understand you, your partner can acknowledge everything you’re saying. Of course in the outdoor setting you would know not to act the way you do at home, you will try to fit in unless your accent is thick and it cannot be helped. This world is harsh and hard for them to fit in. Everyone is competing among others for everything, “survival of the fittest.” Everyone has to make them stand out amongst others. Therefore, it is harder on people who don’t speak perfect English. Most people will look down upon others, they get rejected for job offers, they get less help and less appreciated etc. They have to settle for what they want. It is hard to converse with others without feeling unappreciated. I feel like if everyone of us takes a second to stop judging and criticizing others ,they can understand what one another is trying to say, people just need to be heard, they just need the chance and not be pushed