Ashley's E-portfolio

Journal 3: Rhetorical Situation

 

        I have chosen Anzaldua, in this writing the event that presents an issue for her “are the ways in which identity is intertwined with the way we speak and for the ways in which people can be made to feel ashamed of their own tongues.” Anzaldua writes in this piece of how culture is so important to her and how she is discouraged to show that significant part of her in order to conform and adapt to another social norm. The essence of this writing is for her audience to understand and recognize that one must feel comfortable in their own shoes and not hide one’s roots but rather stand proudly by them and not let the heritage fade away in vain.

        The purpose of this writing is for others to acknowledge that they should not push their culture away and to no longer stay in silence and in the shadows of their background. Whether that means not identifying with the norm but identifying with something out of the box; “A language which they can connect their identity to, one capable of communicating the realities and value true to themselves.” Accepting and emphasizing to others the importance of diversity in society. And when I say ‘no longer standing in the shadows,’ I meant that when two people of the same culture see each other they should not see shame or “low estimation of self,” instead they should look at each other and feel a sense dignity and satisfaction.

        The genre of Anzaldua is very personal, it explains and depicts the moments in her life where she felt like an outcast. Personal writings have to do with past experiences, memories that one reminisces over and over again. Anzaldua made her personal writing aim towards the mixed emotions she had of her culture and how the past has affected her, as well as how she refuses to let the tradition of underestimating where she comes from go. This style of writing allows people to explain and share topics that society overlooks, and that we all at times avoid because of biased opinions. The characteristics she presented define how she writes, she states the exact moments that have caused this particular situation to become to so dear to her.

        The audience of this particular writing of Anzaldua is people of different cultures that have not been able to identify with their languages and cope to the norm of society while accepting their cultural differences. She states, “We know how to survive. When other races have given up their tongue, we’ve kept ours. We know what it is to live to live under the hammer blow of the dominant Norte Americano culture.” With this said she is talking to people of her same culture and those who have been intimidated and not allowed themselves to freely identify with their ethnicity. This provides reasoning as to why this piece of writing was not for college students in particular. As for me, I can actually somewhat relate to this writing because I embrace my Spanish culture although I was born and raised in America, I have encountered the dominant American culture to some degree but I will never completely understand or sympathize with what she has written because I lack something that she has had.