Treatment in the society Based on English Language Skills
Language is an integral part of the society in which we live in. It serves to allow expression of oneself and share information freely in day-to-day life. However, its eloquence in use and expertise draws a line on how the society perceives you. In Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue, language is depicted as an agent for differential treatment upon which social relations are defined. It is also used to further cultural marginalization and prejudice, a challenge that Tan takes up responsibly to recreate their identities in the alien country with peculiar characteristics. Further, Tan uses English language difference to describe how social perceptions are formed about people speaking broken English.
Tan’s mother is particularly looked down upon because of her ‘Limited’ English (Tan, p. 2). At the Hospital, Tan’s mother cannot access her scan results as shown in ‘…they did not seem to be concerned…’ (Tan, p. 3). Tan had to intervene and speak for her and this had an effect concerning the scan results as ‘…we had assurance that her scan would be found…’ (Tan, p. 3). Here, it is apparent that Tan’s mother could access proper medical care services which she was in dire need of it so that she could not die like her husband and son.
In America Tan and her mother struggle with developing their identities amid the difference in perceptions created as per the English language use. Tan professor tells her about her poor writing skills and in trying to recreate her identity, Tan begins her writing career. The stockbroker, on the other hand, does not send the check to her until they go yell at him in front of his boss. Their sense of identities changed after her mother acknowledged her piece of art that it was ‘so easy to read’ (Tan, p. 4).
Tan and her mother are also marginalized in a foreign culture whose primary language is English. America’s diverse culture is predominated by the English speakers with strong command in speaking. With Tan’s mother ‘broken’ English, the perception of the Americans is diminutive. Tan thinks that everything related to limited English ‘…including people’s perceptions of the limited English speaker’ (Tan, p. 3) seems bad. No one seems to understand them even the ‘people in the department stores, at banks and at restaurants did not take her seriously’ (Tan, p. 2). According to Tan, her mother’s English language is ‘perfectly clear…natural…vivid…direct…full of observation and imagery’ (Tan, 2002 p. 2). She saw no mistakes at all. This tells the value of caregivers to their children in terms of inculcating knowledge. They appreciate it in whatever the circumstance.
However, the Americans, in prejudicing against language incompetence, are insensitive of the intimacy with which Tan terms as a ‘language of intimacy’ (Tan, 2002 p. 2) understood and appreciated by close family members. It is vivid in the way in which Tan, her husband and mother understand themselves at home. Her husband ‘uses it with me’ (Tan, 2002 p. 2). The talked and understood themselves even as the other population despises them. Tan and her husband’s willingness and love in her language incompetency demonstrates a high level of love for family ties that are resilient to differential treatment from environment external to the family setting. This is one thing that, according to the narrative, has no place in American culture especially toward the immigrants.