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Essay / Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies in the First Language by Amy Tan
Not everyone who uses English as a second language speaks it in the same way. This argument is made by Amy Tan throughout the story "Mother Tongue". In the essay, she successfully expresses the three rhetorical styles such as logos, ethos and pathos. Tan also balances each part of the rhetorical triangle in a very effective and thoughtful essay. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an original essay I believe Amy's goal in this article was to present to the audience that simply because an individual does not speak or doesn't speak "perfect" English, that doesn't mean the person isn't intellectual. Since her mother used a more simplified form of English, she was exposed to this and other forms of the English language, so it was easy for her to go back and forth and understand them. Amy Tan wants to present her position and beliefs in a rational and effective manner. Her goal in “Mother Tongue” is to explain how the different languages she used with her mother were important and influential in her life. First, the author uses logos and reasoning in his essay. One example is when she explains that her mother would call her to ask for information and that people at banks, restaurants, and department stores would not take her mother seriously. The essay could very well be aimed at people who have to take care of their parents as if they were exchanging roles with their parents. At a very young age, Amy Tan had to deal with situations. She was the intermediary between her mother and other people who had no idea what her mother was saying. Because Tan's mother expressed her words imperfectly, Amy Tan said her thoughts were also imperfect. As someone living in a bilingual language, Tan argued that a person's limitations in language do not reflect their views on society or world events. Second, the author uses ethos to present the idea that social expectations should not negatively influence a person's perception. She believes that standardized tests are not capable of accurately determining a person's intelligence. It's unfair because there are many different types of intelligent people and people have different ways of thinking. As Tan grew up, his speech and what his family taught him affected his life. In the story, she describes the relationship between her and her mother, who speaks "broken" English. In addition, the family environment affected his academic performance. Many other Asians in the United States have also suffered from the same problem and have teachers "who steer them away from writing and toward math and science." Overall, Amy Tan's point is that just because someone doesn't speak English perfectly, it doesn't make them less intelligent than other people born in this country, who understand and speak English fluently. It's like a quote: "We are like a snowflake, all different in our own way." » We all have similarities but our differences help define us. However, the author's mother was judged by her language. She also saw that her mother was disrespected because of her incorrect grammar and misuse of words. Through “Mother Tongue”, the author wants to send a powerful message about how we should view people by their beauty and not by their flaws. There is a quote: “We are like a snowflake.