Many first and second generation immigrants went through similar prejudices when it came to speaking the language we know as English. Amy Tan is a writer and novelist who fits into this dilemma. Amy Tan’s works consists of showing the experiences of her and her mother as Chinese Americans. In one narrative particularly, Tan dives into the relationship between her mother and herself as well as the many hardships they faced together. In Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, she persuades her audience that the complexity of a person’s thoughts and ideas do not rely on their ability to fluently speak a language. Before coming to this conclusion, she walks through various moments in her life where her mother’s “broken” English has impacted her education and even her perception of life. Mother Tongue was published in The Threepenny Review in 1990. A mere essay compared to her great novels. It is true that the writing of this narrative is quite informal. However, her distinct writing style has created a sense of familiarity and even a relationship between her and the reader. Amy Tan’s purpose of writing Mother Tongue is to convince people that are in her position to be understanding of “broken” English speakers as well as their experiences. Her tone throughout the essay shifts as she goes on to talk about less lighthearted topics. She uses emotional appeal to journey through her life with the reader and reasoning to show the credibility of her writing.  

 

Throughout this essay, Tan recognizes her different forms of speaking when it came to English. One instance is where she uses perfect English in her book talks while her mother is present. Not have spoken to her mother that way before, she acknowledges how her mother may feel when talking to a person that only speaks English. She expresses that even her mother understands how her opportunities may be limited by language. An example that was used is a story of her mother’s broken English. She quotes, “Why he not send me check, already two weeks late. So mad he lied to me, losing me money.” She did this to give the readers a general idea of what a conversation with her mother may be like. She further explains that her friends have little to no understanding of this kind of English. To her, however, her mother’s English is fluent, vivid, completely understandable. Amy Tan used ethos to present the idea that social expectations should not negatively influence one’s perceptions. It’s unfair to determine someone’s intelligence through their ability to speak a language. Thoughts and ideas expand past all of that. Still, her mother was constantly judged and mistreated because of her language. Her mother was disrespected in many situations simply because of her incorrect use of words and grammar. She combats this logic by telling us that her mother, as stated, “reads Forbes report, listens to WallStreet week, converse daily with her stockbroker, reads all of Shirley MacLaine’s books with ease.” By utilizing this evidence, she reinforces the idea that intelligence is not proven by fluency in English. She highlights the stereotype that Asian Americans have to excel in math and science, which drove her away from pursuing writing when she was younger. Tan noticed that many of her teachers and even her boss dismissed the idea of her pursuing writing. She states “And perhaps they also have teachers who are steering them away from writing and into math and science, which is what happened to me.” She went on to write books and short stories with her mother as her muse. Amy Tan celebrates that she did not meet people’s expectations of her. Throughout “Mother Tongue,” the author wants to send a powerful message that we should view people based on their achievements and ideas, not their shortcomings. 

 

Amy Tan’s tone and her use of pathos go hand in hand in this essay. Her writing is emotional with even some anger in certain parts. This makes the reader feel sympathetic towards her family regardless of whether they share a similar experience. Especially when writing about the discrimination that her mother faced, Tan expresses her disapproval of those people. She may even be making up for her mother’s lack of reaction. Amy states “I was forced to ask for information or even to complain and yell at people who have been rude to her.” But as it shows, Amy appears to be doing this naturally in her essay. This is shown further in the heartbreaking story of her mother’s brain tumor scan. Notifying the readers of this situation probably has won her sympathy points, but it also shows the severity of this language barrier. The illness could have potentially worsened due to the hospital’s neglect and lack of communication. At the beginning of this essay, she was ashamed of her mother’s English. However, as these stories progressed, she began feeling sympathetic and maybe even guilty. Her tone is regretful as she can’t think of a way to describe her mother’s English other than broken, “as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness.” She knew that the perception people had of her mother was limited. After all, this was the person who shaped her life and her views. Language tests and the judgement of others could never reveal her mother’s intent, passion, imagery, or thoughts. Tan’s ability to effectively explain the diversity of the English language while also upholding the intelligence of non-English speakers is what makes her a great author.  

 

In the very end, Amy knew she succeeded in her writing career with approval from her mother. That ties together their relationship and overall shows how much her mother really meant to her. Throughout this essay, Tan uses diction, emotions, credibility, and other styles of writing to show that society’s expectations of language does not align with everyone, but nevertheless, we should never judge someone’s intelligence by how they speak.