How To Tame A Wild Tongue

Culture and language are one of the biggest factors, if not the biggest, that make up a person. It shapes us to be who we are and think the way we do. Overall, I enjoyed reading Anzaldua's, How To Tame A Wild Tongue. Anzaldua is critcized for speaking Chicano, but she is the person she is because of her language. It is her identity. Language is how we express ourselves, not everything can be translated because the meaning of words that are so powerful in one language can be empty in another language. Words are lost in translation. For example, I feel like English is best when I want to get technical, but when I want to describe my feelings I prefer to speak in Arabic. Anzaldua also points out that our identities change depending on who were talking to which is very true. Our identity can be what our ethnicity is, what language we speak, or what city we live in. Growing up Anzaldua was ashamed of who she is, but she learns to be proud and loyal to her language.

It's Not an Oxymoron

It's Not an Oxymoron by Susan Muaddi Darraj has to be my favorite reading so far. As an Arab myself I completely agreed with Darraj's stand. The Western world and other cultures do not understand what an Arab woman's life is like. They do not understand the purpose behind the veil, our relgions (yes not every Arab is Muslim), or any aspect of our culture as a matter of fact. The Western media tends to take one bad example and generalize it on all the people. The veil is not a way for Arab women to be oppressed. The veil is meant to cover the women so she can  be modest and not be stared down by every man that passes by. Us Arabs have rights and the freedom to do whatever we want. My mother lived in Egypt until the 90s and she did everything on her own will. She led the life she wanted. An Arab woman being a feminist is not an oxymoron at all, but the people tend to judge what they cannot understand.