Bianca Brucato

September 10, 2014

Professor Young

English 1100

“Identity”

            What is someone’s identity? Is it their appearance, their character, their language, or their background? In the passage “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua, Gloria talks about how her language is a huge part of her identity. Anzaldua describes that finding her identity, which is her language, is important because it defines you. I agree that having your own identity is important; identity is what defines you on the inside and out.  It can be your physical traits along with your internal traits.

            In “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua, she expresses the effects of how her actions shapes her identity. Anzaldua’s identity is her language. She is constantly being pressured to conform to American traditions and give up her native tongue. For example, when Anzaldua went to the dentist office she was frustrated by the dentist’s overbearing remarks by saying, “We’re going to have to control your tongue.” Despite the fact the dentist was referring to her accent, Anzaldua was constantly worried about how people viewed her based on her language. Despite all of these pressures to conform Anzaldua stayed true to her language, Chicano Spanish. Anzaldua said, “We know how to survive. When other races have given up their tongue, we’ve kept ours.” Anzaldua refuses to give up her language because she would be giving up her identity. Anzaldua uses language to identify herself with others, who are also Chicano Spanish. Anzaldua says, “Chicano Spanish sprang out of the Chicano’s need to identify ourselves as a distinct people. We needed a language with which we could communicate with ourselves, a secret language.“ She uses her language to feel closer to her home and others who belong to her native culture. Using her language to feel more connected with her community can also lead Anzaldua to feel more connected with herself and her identity.

            Identity can be many things. It could be your physical appearance that separates you from another. Your hair, weight, and height can all play a huge part in defining your identity. This is important because it can help us to be unique from one another and often determines what others think of you. Even though this may be unfair, most people judge you on your appearance.  The way people perceive you based off your appearance can lead people to believe you to be a certain way. If I dress formally and wear name brand designers people would infer I am rich and high class. These inferences can lead people to make accusations and assumptions on my identity. Your physical appearance can determine how others view you and your identity.

            Our actions can also be a huge part of our identity.  How you act can truly define who you are. Actions play a magnificent part in defining our identity because who you are or how you are perceived is judged based upon your actions. This is the main way to get to know and trust someone because you cannot see true thoughts or intentions without acting upon them. Your actions can define who you truly are because we are responsible for the choices we make that can affect others and ourselves. If we choose to make good decisions and choices this can shape our identity in a positive way. An example of a positive choice is, if I choose to wait till I am twenty-one to drink. This can shape my identity in a positive way because I am making the right choice to avoid using alcohol till I am older and more mature. If we make bad choices this can shape our identity in a negative way. Choosing to drink and drive is a negative decision that can hurt others and myself. Actions can define who you are by showing your likes and dislikes, your ethnicity, culture, and many other things that shape your identity. The choices and actions you make can play a huge part in shaping your identity.

            Our identity is important because it is a reflection of who we are and who we want to be. Your identity is how you see yourself, so it is important that you are proud of your identity so you ultimately can be proud in yourself.  Your identity is what defines you and your character. If I find money on the floor, I can choose to keep it or return it to the person who lost it. If I choose to return the money to the person who lost it, this would reflect my identity in a positive way. By doing the right thing and returning the money shows that I have respect, honesty, and character.  Identity is possessed by everyone in the world, everyone’s identity is different than others which is what makes identity important. Your identity is what should be most important to you being it is, you. It is important to be proud of your identity, being it is a reflection of who you are.

            Identity is extremely important; it defines who we are as a person on the inside and out.  Your identity can be your appearance, actions, or even your language. Your appearance can lead others to make certain assumptions about yourself and your identity, based upon the way you dress and present yourself. By choosing to make the right choices when none is around can show you have good character and shape your identity in a positive way. Actions play a huge part in defining our identity because who you are or how you are perceived is judged based upon your actions. Your language can also be a huge part of your identity because it can reveal your customs, culture, and religion. Anzaldua stays true to her language, which is a huge part of her identity. Giving up her language would be giving up a piece of herself. It is important to stay true to your identity because it defines you.