Summary

Beginning in the 1970s is a period Dr. Croxall has nicknamed "postmodern multiculturalism," which recognizes previously under-represented groups such as women, Latin-Americans, and Asian-Americans.  "Postmodern multiculturalism" has two main focuses: a wider group of authors/experiences and the re-telling of well-known stories. Postmodern multiculturalism also incorporates aspects of regionalism. We also discussed the idea of America as a "melting pot", describing how a heterogeneous society becomes homogeneous, which is how we become "American." This relates to the Latin term E Pluribus Unum, or "out of many, one."  Additionally, "postmodern multiculturalism" is a moving away from the idea that everyone is the same, and instead differences and individuality are explored.

Author Gloria Anzaldua looks at problems associated with languages barriers in "How to Tame a Wild Tongue."  She discusses issues faced by Chicanas and how their language is despised, leading them to speak English among themselves and other Latinas. She uses a concept known as "code-switching" in order to switch back and forth between both Spanish and English. She does this in order to relate and identify with many different groups.

In Anzaldua's "La conciencia de la mestiza/Towards a New Consciousness," Anzaldua freely melds English and Spanish together, without any translations, representing what is known as "Spanglish". She advocates the birth of a new "hybrid" race, which is emerging due to the mixing of races. Additionally, Anzaldua states that the path to creating this hybrid culture is not violent, but rather baby steps toward neutral ground. We discussed binaries, which are seen in this case as opposing cultures. Part of the "new consciousness" would be compromise between "the oppressor and oppressed". 

Word Count: 269

Passages

 “We’re going to have to control your tongue,’ the dentist says, pulling out all the metal from my mouth.”

-We discussed that in this line, Anzaldua is tackling the issue of "Spanglish" that is predominant within her culture. She is writing this to bring the issues associated with language barriers to the forefront. The Chicana form of Spanish arose due to necessity, but is looked down upon in the Spanish speaking community. 

"At the confluence of two or more genetic streams, with chromosomes constantly "crossing over," this mixture of races, rather than resulting in an inferior being, provides hybrid progeny, a mutual, more malleable species with a rich gene pool."

-This quote explains the new hybrid generation Anzadula predicts.  She explains the a mixture of genes and races would actually create a better people, rather than how society would view it: inferior or lesser in some sense.   

Key Terms

Post modernism: skepticism toward meta narrative, post-structural, emphasis on narrative structure, irony, experimentalist, pastiche

Chicanas: a group of people who live on the borders of the United States and Mexico, part of the lower class, a derogatory/negative term that indicates ethnicity, class, geographical location

Mestiza: someone of mixed race who typically had Indian blood.

Binary- Relating to, composed of, or involving two things; (ex. on/off, up/down, etc.)