Mother Tongue

Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | Published in 1990

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Summary

Essay Analysis

Key Figures

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Literary Devices

Anaphora

In several key moments of “Mother Tongue,” Tan uses anaphora to increase the intensity and emotional weight of her arguments. By repeating the initial phrasing of successive sentences, Tan builds both her argument and its impact on the reader.

The first instance of anaphora occurs in the first two paragraphs, which establish Tan’s stance toward her argument. Tan repeats the phrase “I am” to describe both what she is not (“a scholar of English or literature”) and what she is: “a writer,” “someone who has always loved language” and is “fascinated by language” (7). This positions Tan as the subject of the essay and develops Tan’s ideas about what it means to be a writer. This is a critical moment in establishing how the reader interprets Tan’s subsequent arguments; by repeating “I am,” Tan develops a sense of ethos, establishing her credibility as a writer and asking the reader to not worry about whether she is a scholar of the English language.

A second important instance when Tan uses anaphora to develop the intensity of her argument occurs in the third section of the essay, where Tan uses a series of “why” statements to push the reader to think about other limitations of the widespread belief in the necessary formality of English. The series of questions builds on the idea of “why there are not more Asian-Americans represented in American literature” (7). As in the introduction, Tan’s repetitive phrasing here both develops a concentrated emotional tone and challenges her reader to see her perspective.

Parallelism

In the conclusion of “Mother Tongue,” Tan utilizes parallelism to mirror her argument in the actual construction of her writing. One of the essay’s closing points is that writing in multiple forms of English, especially those that reflect her mother’s language, allowed Tan to write in a way that she felt was positive and that used rhythm to her advantage. In one closing sentence Tan describes “what language ability tests can never reveal” (8) about her mother’s thinking and language: “her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts” (8). This repetitive parallel structure creates rhythm and stokes passion while building Tan’s argument about the importance of writing in this way.

Juxtaposition

In “Mother Tongue” Tan uses juxtaposition in both the overall scope of her argument as well as in smaller instances when she positions two ideas or characters against one another. This creates an ongoing sense of tension in the essay that is only somewhat resolved by the conclusion.

At many moments in the text, Tan juxtaposes the idea of “broken” or “simple” (7) English with the more formal English that is valued by US society. This constant juxtaposition engenders a feeling of sadness toward Tan’s mother, who has difficulty communicating her ideas and yet, as Tan describes through the juxtaposition, who also has complex, intricate ways of thinking and speaking. These smaller juxtapositions reflect the essay’s larger argument that the sociological limitations of speaking “broken” or informal English should not be discounted, yet the sociological benefits of thinking and understanding represented by Tan’s mother should not be ignored. In the conclusion Tan achieves some resolution regarding these competing strands by writing with “all the Englishes [she] grew up with” (7).

Shifts in Point of View

Amy Tan uses multiple points of view in “Mother Tongue” to continuously discomfort the reader and move her argument forward. While the most frequent perspective is the first-person singular, as Tan describes her own feelings and thoughts, at critical points she also shifts to the first-person plural “we” and the second person “you.” Tan’s expert use of point of view is a vital aspect of the text’s overall structure; she casually invites the reader in to her perspective as a writer, then builds this invitation by having the reader participate in the stories about Tan’s mother using the first-person plural. Finally, after building a strong emotional investment in these relationships, Tan uses the second person to demand the reader believe her assertions about these different forms of English, as in the passage where Tan says, “you should know that my mother’s expressive command of English belies how much she actually understands” (7). Using multiple perspectives and key shifts, Tan both stokes the reader’s sense of compassion and invites them into her more challenging arguments, which might contradict what readers were about what forms of English and literature are most valuable.