Mardanlou

Sydney Mardanlou
English 1050
Stephanie Maenhardt
20 September 2016
Othering
PART 1:
The book, Reading Culture: Contexts for Critical Reading and Writing by Diana George
and John Timber, contains a compilation of writings from several authors, to demonstrate
cultural diversity. The reader is able to feel the difference of opinions and culture from story to
story, as each author presents a new view on several subjects referring to culture related
situations. Throughout the book, a common theme is Othering, which is a term used to
describe how a majority treats a minority, particularly of other races, cultures, and ethnicities.
(google.com) Othering is also the term that will be analyzed, as we determine it has
continued throughout time. Societies treatment toward minorities has changed only to some
degree, as the way of othering has been applied in new ways, without being eliminated.
Much of what will be analyzed to follow, deals with the issue of race and ethnicity.
Frederick Douglass wrote about his own experiences as a slave in an article called, What to the
Slave is the Fourth of July?. Douglass was a slave himself that escaped the brutal torture and
later began a career in writing, which then led him to become well known for this speech. He
said, the Declaration of Independence is the ring-bolt to the chain of your nations
destinyThe principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those
principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatsoever
cost.( This quote was what I feel was the main purpose of his speech. He discusses the brutal

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past of his slavery, but compares it to how times have changed, but Douglass does not deny
that othering is still occurring, especially with racial issues. He recognized the discrimination
that many were suffering from in new, adapting ways, however, he chose to place emphasis on
how we should instead, do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and to
the future.(464) He decided to help the audience decide to learn of past mistakes, by calling
them to now change and follow guidelines, that things like the constitution were made for. He
saw the continuation of othering and new that the Declaration was a way of acknowledging,
that the people of the United States were not adhering to the principles listed in the
Constitution.
Barak Obama recently did the same in his speech, A More Perfect Union. Obama
placed emphasis on evoking hope from his audience when he stated, The fact is that the
comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks
reflect the complexities of race in this country that weve never really worked through a part
of our union that we have yet to perfect.(479) We then can see how both Douglas and Obama
attempted to use ethos, to help guide change. Unfortunately, based on the speech Obama
gave, proves that as Douglass previously cautioned his audience to follow the Declaration made
specifically for issues as such, we as a country have not entirely heeded the direction given.
Certainly it is still a big concern if it is continually addressed.
In both previous speeches, we read proof of othering still continuing today, as world
leaders felt need to address multiple audiences on the issue. There talks, however, were not
only focused on racial issues due to slavery, but another issue of discrimination has evolved
with the differences in language for different cultures has been attacked by a majority view

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many times. Two articles that demonstrate this are, How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria
Anzaldua, and From Silence to Words: Writing as A Struggle by Min-Zahn Lu.
Anzaldua in How to Tame a Wild Tongue, depicts her experience as she learned
English while in school in the states. Anzaldua was placed in several language learning classes
that from her point of view were used to single her out into an outcast group. This group being
one of which you were put for not speaking English perfectly according to each individual with
whom you spoke. Her parents simply wanted her to learn English with a fair accent to improve
job opportunities in the future, however, Anzaldua constantly felt ridiculed when her accent
was not accurate. Simple speaking multiple languages was not enough. She refers in her article,
to a time her teacher directly stated, "If you want to be American, speak American. If you don't
like it, then go back to Mexico where you belong."(521) This comment I personally find hard to
understand, as our country reinforces time and time again the definition of equality, despite
differences. Why should this be any different with language? Lu, the author of From Silence to
Words: Writing as A Struggle, a girl who was also taught many languages, discussed her
personal story of the requirement her family had to learn and understand many languages from
a young age. She compares language to a specific metaphor: "tool for survival". I believe as she
does this, she is referring to the idea that with so many different languages in her head, the
meanings and multiple definitions/uses for each word or phrase, began forming contradictions,
that caused her to "shy away from writing, as she was critiqued for using the several meanings
she knew, and applying them to understanding in a different language. Her experience shows
the potential benefit of multiple cultures, as it allows the countries to grow and develop faster,
with higher communication rates, and to improve overall relationship. She was able to see how

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so many others understood things, with a basic knowledge of many languages. However, the
critique that caused Lu to shy away from her writing, was negative, as the opinions of differing
cultures once again changed the outcome of high potential. The othering that took place in
this situation, caused an individual with much talent, to shy away from using it for a time. This
all because of our fear of something different, and uncommon; A minority.
I feel that these examples all discussed above, demonstrate how times have advanced,
but not discarded the racial issues at hand. Many cultures receive back lash and hard times
from differing cultural opinion, or even individuals opinions, that cause such conflict in the
world. Though we no longer have slavery, there is still so much discrimination. There is no need
for out casting and verbal harassment of others, because of differences in speech, color,
language, beliefs, etc. Both Obama and Douglass offered speeches to the public, expressing a
hope for change to improve the issue at hand, allowing for a team like attitude and to function
more equally. There speeches demonstrate that the issue of othering has not been resolved,
as they address the public with caution of current actions and call for change.

PART 2:
Gloria Anzaldua was an American scholar supporting chicana, feminine, and queer
theory. She wrote her most well-known book, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestisa. It
She grew up on the Mexican-Texas border and incorporated her feelings on social and culture
minorities. (Wikipedia.com) Gloria Anzalduas article, How to Tame a Wild Tongue, an excerpt
from the book listed above, was used to reiterate the change that has taken place with slavery
no longer existing, yet to demonstrate that racial othering has not been eliminated entirely.

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Anzaldua, discussed her experience learning English in the states, and the challenge she had
mimicking the American accent. Among our classroom discussions on this story, Michelle
Wright, during week four, quoted Anzaldua, as she demonstrated Anzalduas opinion of the
discrimination taking place. Wright wrote this referring to Anzalduas story, I realized the
purpose of her writing is to try and make people understand the conditions of borderland. She
then quoted Anzaldua saying, If a person, Chicana or Latina, has a low estimation of my native
tongue, she also has a low estimation of me.(524) By emphasizing this, Wright shows that she
recognizes Anzalduas cry attempt to receive understanding, that othering is a problem.
I believe part of the purpose for Anzaldua telling her story, was to allow the many
American readers to feel her challenge, as she incorporated much Spanish into the story,
making an impossible situation for understanding if one does not speak that language. This
allowed the audience to empathize with her. I spent a year in a half in the Dominican Republic,
serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in the Spanish language. I
understood all of the phrases used, except for one in the story by Anzaldua. Every phrase with
the same meaning, but used in different cultural context, as Anzaldua is from a different
country, with the same language, but different ways of using that language. I was forced to
recall how I felt while in another country, and not able to understand or communicate. I at
times felt ridiculed and judged for how I spoke, and did not understand why something so little
could entirely change the way I was seen by so many others. I imagine, this is what Anzaldua
wanted to evoke upon her readers, as the only way for many to recognize the problem of
othering, may be to experience it.
I don't understand why one would think poorly of another speaking with a different

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accent, however, Anzaldua's message proves otherwise. Still, that comment makes me think
that specific teacher was simply just rude, and too extreme. I would have thought it well to
have an accent and prove that you are able to speak multiple languages. However, this is why
the issue still exists; the inability to let go of the past as Douglass counselled us to do in his
speech What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?.

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WORKS CITED

Anzalda, Gloria. Borderlands, La Frontera: The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Aunt Lute, 1987.
Print.
Barack Obama's speech on race: "A more perfect union."
Barack Obama - BN Pub. - 2008
George, Diana, and John Trimbur. Reading Culture: Contexts for Critical Reading and Writing.

New York: Longman, 2001. Print.

"Gloria E. Anzalda." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2016.

"Othering." Google.com. 20 September 2016.