In Mother
Tongue, by Amy Tan, Tan describes her relation between her Chinese roots and
her American roots. On the contrary to
her mom, Tan grew up learning and speaking fluent English. Today, she is a
famous writer. Tan discusses the burden of having to always speak for her
broken English speaking mother. She tells us stories of struggles she had with
her mother and the English language. One
story she shares is when her mother went to the hospital for a follow up
appointment to find out about a benign tumor found in her CAT scan the previous
month. Even when her mother spoke her most
perfect English, the doctors seemed to have not taken her seriously and did not
provide her with the care she should have been provided with. Tan tells us, “She said they would not give
her any more information until the next time and she would have to make another
appointment for that” (pg.110). Tan’s
mother refused to budge so they called Tan.
When she spoke in perfect English on the phone with the doctors, “lo and
behold – we had assurance the CAT scan would be found, promises that a
conference call on Monday would be held, and apologies for any suffering my
mother had gone through for a most regrettable mistake” (pg.110). When dealing with Tans mother, who was hard
to understand the doctor was reluctant to help but when talking to Tan, who
spoke perfect English, he was more than willing to do anything possible to
help. I was highly offended by the
doctor’s actions when reading this part of the story. Doctor’s jobs are to save people’s lives no
matter what age, gender, sexuality, or race.
I feel that Tan should have taken some legal action against the
doctor.
This
story is about leaving your home country and living
abroad, and how your roots will still never leave you. It is about changing
ethnic qualities, and keeping them all at the same time. It is about struggling
and confrontation with a hostile environment towards different cultures and
breaking those boundaries. It is also about the generation gap. It shows how Tan was ashamed of her mother’s
non-conforming ways, but how she was always there to support her mother. Perhaps, Tans mother’s struggles along with
her strive to be able to speak English, made her feel proud of her roots?
I found Tan's essay about her childhood and her language differences with her mother very interesting. Tan's mother whose second language is clearly English is discriminated against by the doctor because he assumes Tan's mother has no idea what he is saying and assumes she is dumb. Tan later points out that just because her English is seen as broken doesn't mean she can't understand what people are saying and what they mean. This example I believe happens a lot in the U.S. and I have personally see it happen as well and it should be stopped. I also found interesting how Tan went into English as opposed to science and math which her mom preferred. But in the end she started to write to her mother could understand her writing which symbolizes how she wants to appeal to her roots and family.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie's interpretation of Mother Tongue. I was very confused reading this at first but when I further read between the lines, it started to all make sense. Many people today still struggle between Chinese roots and their American roots. Everyone tries so hard to truly fit in and be popular that they forget who they truly are. I agree with Steph when she says, "When dealing with Tans mother, who was hard to understand the doctor was reluctant to help but when talking to Tan, who spoke perfect English, he was more than willing to do anything possible to help. I was highly offended by the doctor’s actions when reading this part of the story." Doctors are supposed to heal and make people feel better, not be stubborn and cold. I personally feel as if this doctor should get his job taken away because he didn't preform in a professional matter. Tan definitely should have taken legal action against him.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading Mother Tongue, and I agree with Stephanie's views on the essay. It was interesting to get an inside scoop of a Chinese-American because I've never read anything written from that perspective before. It's obvious that Tan can speak English fluently, and she reveals that she truly love the language, but her mother doesn't speak the language so easily. It's clear that her mother understands the language because she loves to read American things, "she reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week, converses daily with her stockbroker, reads all of Shirley MacLaine's books with ease" (109). I think it's horrible that people judge others because of an accent or a language problem because it's clear that they understand the English language, even if they can't speak it up to some people's standards.
ReplyDeleteI agree with my fellow classmates on their views of "Mother's Tongue". As the reader, Tan opens her readers eyes to see the truth and the struggles that her own mother goes through just to be able to feel a part of the American society. Even though her mother struggles so hard to try to speak "normal" English, she does not change the individual she is. Tan, understanding what her mother is going through, is able to reach out and help her mother. Being able to sympathize with her mother makes Tan relate to the burdens and pressures that her mother faces in order to "fit in" with society. Language serves as a bridge between worlds; if that breaks is rocky, then a relationship will struggle to form, but if the bridge is solid and firm, relationships will blossom into something whole and new.
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