Amy Tan Mother Tongue Thesis

America has always been a nation of immigrants. For the past century, foreigners have poured in from all corners of the globe, giving the United States an identity best characterized as “a melting pot.” However, it is typical of Americans to marginalize those who have not yet assimilated to American ways and customs. In the case of Amy Tan, her mother was affected by her inability to speak English as coherently as others. Her “broken English,” as Tan calls it, caused her to be treated unfairly in society. In “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan discusses this phenomenon in American culture, and uses stories from her own life to develop a unique stance on the issue. Through the lens of personal anecdotes and other appeals to pathos, Amy Tan connects with …show more content…
The following is Amy Tan’s description of her mother’s talents: “She reads the Forbes Report, listens to Wall Street Week…reads all of Shirley MacLaine’s books with ease—all kinds of things I couldn’t begin to understand” (Tan, 77). This excerpt appeals to members of the audience who are not Asian-American. This audience may feel that Asian-Americans like Tan’s mother are only as intelligent as their poor English skills. Amy Tan connects to this audience by admitting that she herself was ashamed of her mother’s English; because her speaking was imperfect, somehow her thoughts were imperfect. Members of the audience who feel the same way about Asian immigrants will be more likely to listen to Tan’s argument. Tan also appeals to logos in this excerpt by showing that her mother knows things she “can’t even begin to understand” (Tan, 77). No matter the demographic of Tan’s audience, all of her readers know Tan’s skill as a writer. So, this statement, combined with Tan’s appeals to pathos, solidifies an image in the American reader’s mind that first-generation Asian-Americans are far smarter than what they can express through