Gloria Anzaldua’s interpretation of language is inspirational to me as a speaker of a different language because of the world that we live in. Growing up, I grew up in a Spanish speaking household and I learned to speak fluent Spanish and that is something that I am proud of. One quote that stood out to me in the reading was “So if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language”. This quote directly highlights the way that I feel about my own language and how we have seen on the news people berating others for speaking different languages than their own. Each language is unique to a region of the world and each group is represented through their own language. Anzaldua faces insecurity about her own language in the reading as she used to feel that her dialect was inferior to other types of Spanish. I have met people who have decided to abandon their roots from their language instead to pursue the true American identity, which truly isn’t a thing because there is no ideal American. 

The U.S is extremely diverse when compared to other countries, and that is why there is no true official language due to the melting pot of cultures in the country. Another quote that stood out to me in the reading was “Chicanas who grew up speaking Chicano Spanish have internalized the belief that we speak poor Spanish.” Anzaldua also mentions “Linguistic Terrorism” which is the belief that language can actually divide groups of people due to different dialects. I have always remained proud of being from Peruvian ethnicity and have not shied away from my parents home country and I love the culture and try to tell others about the great things of Peru. Some children at a young age, can be traumatized from ignorance from others and try to avoid their language to avoid being the target of others which relates back to linguistic terrorism.  Although I speak a different kind of Spanish, there have been times when I have heard conversations about which type of Spanish is the correct dialect and which ones are “illegitimate”. Anzaldua also mentions the type of Spanish and English known as Spanglish, which was common for me growing up. Some words in Spanish that I did not yet understand would be mixed in with English to form a sentence, which usually resulted in my parents trying to teach me the word, but this form of speaking Spanish was one way that I was able to communicate with my family. 

One thing that I always tell myself and others is “Nothing is possible without trust in ourselves”  This means a lot to me for the fact that although If I’m going through a tough period, I have to remember that I can get through it anyways. I also love to help my friends who may not be doing the best that they are able to overcome any situation because they are strong and any type of motivation can help them. I think for myself, I enjoy the feeling of helping others and like to put others before myself If it means that they are doing better than before.

Culture can be a very broad term for most people because it entails many factors ranging from food to music and even language. Of these factors, language may perhaps be the most important representation of culture because it enables individuals within a given cultural grouping to communicate and understand one another. At the same time, the integration of different cultures may pose a problem seeing as it often results in the creation of new languages that may not be readily accepted by dominant cultures. Gloria Anzaldua makes this apparent in her essay titled “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” where she states that the cultures that emerge from the fusion of two or more others are often treated with disdain. More specifically, she states that her Chicana identity has placed her at odds with other Spanish-speaking people as well as Americans because “there is no one Chicano language just as there is no one Chicano experience” (39). Anzaldua, nevertheless, insists that she will provide a voice for any individual who feels that they have been unjustly antagonized because of their language preference.

In the article “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Anzaldua further notes that “Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity – I am my own language.” In my opinion, the author has used the phrase “I am my own language” to denote that language is an inextricable part of one’s ethnicity or race. In other words, the phrase implies that there is a strong connection between the language that one speaks and their cultural heritage. This assertion seems valid because as mentioned above, language remains to be one of the most important factors that can unite people who have a common heritage. A different explanation of the phrase is that individuals cannot be forced to give up their sense of self and culture as expressed through language to be accepted in America. Instead, they should be embraced and respected for who they are. In the case of Anzaldua, she is insisting that she wants Americans to accept that she cherishes her Chicano Spanish roots and that she will not bow to pressure to speak or relate to another language.

Anzaldua’s experiences are relatable to most people because unless one belongs to the majority racial group, they will always face some degree of backlash over the use of their native language in expressing themselves. The attack on languages spoken by minorities or immigrants eventually causes repression and marginalization of individuals from such communities. Nevertheless, I find hope and joy in Anzaldua’s assertion that “one day the inner struggle will cease and a true integration take place” (44). For native English speakers, this statement might not mean much because they are accustomed to speaking the language from birth. However, for individuals who share a racial identity and whose language is not considered to be among the mainstream ones, such a statement brings happiness and even inspires them to take pride in their linguistic identity because the mistreatment they face for belonging may soon be a thing of the past.

“I am my language.” Sure, I am also what I eat, what I do (hobbies), and the friends I hang out with. To sum up, I am a combination of various things; one particular thing does not define me. Because of that, the phrase sounds a little exaggerated to me. Of course, language may have a special significance in the author’s culture that I do not understand, but for me, it is not something worth screaming out. Sure, I’m proud of my origin and the language and culture that comes along with it, as should pretty much anybody. But instead of “Wild tongues can’t be tamed, they can only be cut out,” I associate myself more with the line “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Maybe there is a difference in the values or virtues between the author’s culture and mine (Chinese) that we hold close to our hearts. The author, on one hand, demonstrates her passion to preserve her culture through her bold act of giving Chicano literature to her students without the principal’s permission, as well as using Spanish throughout the text, on many occasions without translation, to form a gate that blocks outsider from a clear comprehension of her intentions. On the other hand, my perspective is that instead of focusing on identity preservation, the Chinese-American community puts greater attention on integration, acculturation, in order to achieve financial freedom and even financial success. Within the community, we can speak Chinese or English, whichever is more comfortable for the speakers. Outside the community, we are fairly comfortable with speaking English to build relationships and present our thoughts and ideas in public. This also reminds me of a Chinese proverb: “Whether you’re a black cat or a white cat, if you can catch mice, you’re a good cat.” And in my community, a good cat is a financially successful one. So again, I think its the difference in values that is apparent when comparing the author’s culture and mine.

To me, slang in general makes me feel familiar and sometime laugh out loud. I think it is fair to say that slang is way more common for younger people, especially Gen Y and Gen Z. Slang is similar to Black English in Baldwin’s article in that a group of young people could be talking in slang, while older listener may not have a clue about what the conversation is about. Another interesting thing about slang is that when an older person uses it, it becomes funny for us. Not only that, but it also makes the atmosphere much less formal and we generally respect that the older generation chose to adopt “our” language in order to connect with us in a more friendly manner. This also relates to what I discussed in the previous paragraph because it is an example of the benefits of integration. When an older person speaks in a formal tone, he/she accentuates the distance in regards to age between the speaker and the audience. Whereas a speaker who attempts to empathize with the listeners with an informal tone receives respect for the effort to make a connection.

I liked Murray’s use of the verb “detach.” He used this verb when he wrote “They must detach them-selves from their own pages so that they can apply both their caring and their craft to their own work. ” This stood out to me because it reminds me of the importance of reviewing and revising one’s writing objectively, almost reading one’s work from a stranger’s point of view. While I think this process is helpful, I don’t believe that a person can be completely unbiased or somehow render the erase the mind of the words that were written. Also, I don’t think that most students have the time to revise like Ray Bradbury, who “supposedly puts each manuscript away for a year to the day and then rereads it as a stranger.” My view on revising is that besides self-revising, it is also critical to share one’s writing with others to receive constructive feedback.

I think revision will always be a part of writing. Most of the time, we don’t just type everything that is in our head out on the sheets. There is always some kind of filter that exists in our mind to help us with preliminary elimination of some useless material that should not be put into writing. So in a way, the first draft is already revised. Any additional revision can be made by filtering out additional information in our mind that we come up with spontaneously that will help us express our ideas in a more accurate way.

I believe that one of the most important things about revision is overcoming the stress that comes to our mind when we know that a particular sentence could be better, but it will take time and effort in order to make it so. While we may be willing to make this kind of sacrifice when writing something as significant as the Common App essay, we may not want to contribute to such a degree in our classwork. However, I believe that with experience, the process of revision will gradually become more instinctive and natural to undertake. I believe that the ability to revise is also a skill that can be built with practice.

Another important aspect about both writing and revision is the atmosphere that they require. When I am writing, I would like my room to be as quiet as possible, because I will be annoyed by every distraction, which always interrupt me in my stream of thoughts. However, I have heard that for some people, writing in a Starbucks table is most conducive for ideas. I feel that for them, although they are surrounded by a chatty atmosphere, the noise may actually calm them down and focus on their writing, though the smell may also factor into that. In general, I think that we need a comfortable atmosphere when we are writing or revising, so that it becomes easier for us to unleash any whim that may contribute to bettering the piece.

“The writer must learn to read critically but constructively, to cut what is bad,
to reveal what is good.” (Murray, 28)

I think Murray’s use of this word in terms of revision is for emphasis on the thought process during revision. I believe he is trying to say that when writing a piece, you must think very carefully and constructively when revising it. One of his main messages in his piece is that, essentially,a true writer’s work is never truly done. He portrays this message well when he quotes “The maker’s eye is never satisfied, for each word has the potential to ignite new meaning.” I think, with this being said, while also taking into account his overall message of a true writer never really being satisfied with their work, Murray is saying that thinking critically when revising is a must. While revising for things like spelling and punctuation are necessary on a grammatical level, it’d be reasonable to assume that Murray is specifically talking about the structure and ideas in a piece when he refers to “revising while being critical”. On page 29, Murray begins to break down exactly what writers look for in their writing and how they look at it when revising. He uses italics to emphasize exactly what he’s talking about; those words being “audience” “form” “structure” “development” “dimension” and “voice”. Once again, it’s reasonable to assume these are the specific elements of writing pieces that he is urging the reader to look into, which ties back into him asking the reader to think critically when revising. It’s easy to get lost in the revision process, busying yourself up with double-knotting loose ends that don’t really require your attention. However, when thinking critically, you would of course prioritize looking over certain elements of your work, and then save whatever time you have left for said seemingly trivial aspects of your work; I believe those aspects that are important to work on are the ones Murray listed, seeing as though he legitimately explains why writers should focus on those aspects when revising in his piece.

“To produce a progression of drafts, each of which says more and says it more clearly, the writer has to develop a special kind of reading skill” (Murray 27). 

The general connotation writing holds is that of visionary artistic expression. Essentially, the pathway into the mind of the author. Students of literature can invest hours studying and appreciating writing. Yet, writing a paper can be argued as the most dreaded aspect of being a student. This ironic phenomenon can be explained by the process of writing itself as elucidated by Donald Murray in “The Maker’s Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts.” Murray brings to light the significance of revision through denotative diction. He facilitates the idea that writing has infinite potential and should constantly be refined to unveil the preeminent piece. Throughout the piece, Murray constantly uses the word “draft” to describe the piece of writing. Murray believes that “To produce a progression of drafts, each of which says more and says it more clearly, the writer has to develop a special kind of reading skill” (Murray 27). Through this Murray inculcates the concept that writing is an evolving process. A writer starts with a blank sheet of paper and through this approach cultivates an impassioned piece of writing. The word draft is key to this because a draft is the preliminary version of any piece of writing. Repetition of the word “draft” through Murray’s description of the revision process subtly suggests that during any stage of metamorphosis a draft holds immense prospective for a more cohesive version to be chiseled from the previous draft. It sets forth the concept that “A piece of writing is never finished” (Murray 30).  

To effectively implement this, a writer must develop the eye of an analytic reader. For revision, in-depth and thorough comprehension of the writing is essential. Under the ensemble of a critical reader, the writer must disconnect from the writing and acquaint with it as a presumptive reader. As a reader, the sole connection to the writing is through the text. The process of how the words made it onto the page is obscure, creating a limited attachment to the writing. Removing these connections facilities, an evaluation of the text that is critical of the writing process and beneficial to the overall betterment of the writing. Only a writer can valuably criticize their writing because they are the only ones who understand the ideas that are being expressed in entirety. For a reader “the end” is the culmination of the idea. On the contrary “the end” is the actual beginning for a writer. Hence, “the end” does not exist for writers because conceptualizations are not definitive. The journey of a writer is arduous and extensive. Yet, embarking upon it is exhaustingly rewarding. It’s no wonder that students dread it.

“The writer must learn to read critically, but constructively, to cut what is bad, to reveal what is good.” 

In “The Maker’s Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts,” Donald Murray shows us the importance revision has on writing. Throughout this article Murray uses the word “critical” showing us how important it is in the revision process. While doing revision of your first drafts, it is essential to be as critical as possible in order to catch all your mistakes. Murray goes as far as to say “writers must learn to be their own best enemy.” By being extremely critical towards your writing you will be able to shine a light on everything that needs fixing. Some writers even say that no piece of writing can ever finish being revised, but by being criticall you can come as close as possible.  

Revision is to writing as frosting is to a cake, without it, it would be incomplete. Revision is different than actually writing because you are only critically fixing and correcting your written draft. While on the other hand, in writing you are trying to get down as many related ideas and thoughts down before they slip your mind. Hence, most first drafts end up having mistakes on almost every line. Revision then helps organize that raw first draft polishing it up over and over until it’s as close to perfect as writing can be. 

While undergoing the vigorous process of revision there are many key parts to remember. In Murray’s article he quotes Nancy Hale who says that the writer  “should be critical of everything that seems to him most delightful in his style.” This shows us that you have to revise the most critically toward the parts of your writing you feel most comfortable with. Eliminating any chance of bias towards your work. Although one might think it would be a good idea to let others check your work over for you, it’s actually not. They might not try and revise it critically enough, and will let you off the hook too easily missing important mistakes. Another valuable part is to try and look at your draft as if you are a stranger. This also helps you not have any bias towards your own writing. At the end of the day every aspect of revision is important to the overall goal of creating the best piece of writing possible. 

Revision plays a major role in the big picture of the writing process. The goal of the process is to have your writing as close to perfect as possible. In order to do so, we have revision. It gives you the opportunity to keep correcting and making your original drafts better and better. In order to get there you have to be critical yet stick to your original ideas and maintain the flow of your writing. Revision is what takes an average story, article, or even fairytale and turns it into an award winning piece of writing. Murray shows us how even famous writer Roald Dahl said “By the time I’m nearing the end of a story, the first part will have been reread and altered and corrected at least 150 times.” We can learn from this that no matter who you are and what you are writing, revising your work will always lead to improvement.  

“It is far easier for most beginning writers to understand the need for rereading and rewriting than it is to understand how to go about it” (Page 194).

Revision is one of the most crucial elements in any writing process because it is only when one takes the time to go over a literary work that they can create something that will be worth the time and effort of the intended readers. In the article “The Maker’s Eye: Revising Your Manuscripts,” Donald Murray notes that it “It is far easier for most beginning writers to understand the need for rereading and rewriting than it is to understand how to go about it” (Page 194). This statement implies that most people in the early stages of writing might be aware that it is necessary to revise their manuscripts but many might not know how they should conduct the process of rewriting. An analysis of Murray’s quote reveals that the verb understand, which has been used twice, is intended to describe the state of being cognizant of the importance of both rereading and rewriting. In turn, the words rereading and rewriting point to the idea that revision is a significant aspect of writing. Thus, one could deduce that it is only when a piece of writing has been checked through severally and the necessary corrections made that it can be deemed ready for consumption by the target audience.

A different approach that can be undertaken in an attempt to uncover the importance of revision would be to consider the differences between revision and writing. As stated earlier, new writers are often aware that they need to rewrite and reread what they have written but most may not know how to go about the two processes. Revision thus comes in handy because it provides an opportunity for both upcoming and seasoned writers to go over their manuscripts and to make the necessary adjustments as they seek to create compelling literary works. Alternatively stated, revision comes after the writing process but it is just as important because it enables the writer to invest their time and effort into critiquing their work so that they can create a perfect or near-perfect final draft. Therefore, it would be better for one to not write at all if they do not intend to revise their work and make it error-free.

Murray reinforces the importance of revision by noting that a writer must be his or her own worst enemy. According to the author, a writer must “detach themselves from their own page so they can apply both their caring and their craft to their own work” (Page 196). He further notes that detaching oneself is not always easy but that it’s an effective way of revising because it allows writers to accept criticism and to respond by applying unbiased judgment. From this perspective, one can conclude that it is only when a writer is critical of their writing that they can produce pieces of writing that have higher chances of being regarded as masterpieces.

“The maker’s eye moves back and forth from word to phrase to sentence to paragraph to sentence to phrase to word. The maker’s eye sees the need for variety and balance, for a firmer structure, for a more appropriate form. It peers into the interior of the paragraph, looking for coherence, unity, and emphasis, which make meaning clear.” (Murray, pg. 30)

In the passage, “The Maker’s Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts”, Donald Murray describes his own writing process and brings insight into the general writer’s process with examples.  His emphasis is on revision and gauging when to look for completeness in your work.  The above quote is where the title comes from because “the maker’s eye” is what he believes to be the determining factor for quality revision.

I will be choosing “moves/movement” as my specific verb because it is referential to the eye but also to the overall process of writing and revision.  “Move” has a few different definitions, whether it’s a physical action (eyes), a metaphorical action (progression in writing), or a philosophical action (time).

Murray goes so far as to imply that a work without revision is “amateur”.  A major issue in writing for academics is that many assignments are “one and done”, but that mentality stunts the development of writing skills.  Serious papers and essays are not static documents but rather ever-changing and evolving, subject to feedback and criticism.  Studies must be peer-reviewed, and theses must be defended to gain credibility, so it would be foolish to not hold other writing to that expectation.

To support your work, Murray says that you must find your information with supporting meaning and then read it to see if it makes sense.  This also includes the principle of knowing if your work is interesting or engaging to the audience.  Writing is an unselfish process, it is more about the satisfaction of the readers rather than the author.  Form, structure, development, and dimension are also part of the criteria to understand if the information conveyed is appropriate and specific enough.  Before moving to the latter stages, Murray has a few remarks about the author’s voice.  He notes that it’s important to see your work as a new reader because it’s not enough to leave subtext or an underlying emotion without actually pointing to it.  The author usually doesn’t have the benefit of explaining what they really meant to every individual reader.  This is not unlike how song lyrics can get misunderstood.  He then outlines the elements of coherence, unity, and emphasis as the final goals.

Murray makes it clear that he believes that revision is inseparable from the actual writing process, that writing can’t be accomplished without it.  He describes the mentality that one must have when approaching revision.  He believes that most writers have an issue with being paralyzed with self-doubt and being unable to move forward.  A conclusion that he reached is when one must learn to seek out and emphasize the good parts of the work.  Some writers work in a different way, doing revision while writing.  I certainly find it easier to work this way from paragraph to paragraph, though it’s important to realize if your work has good flow between ideas.

At a certain point, you must choose a time to finish rather than revise to no end.  If you never finish writing, if you never choose a place to end, then nobody will ever get to read it.  Murray uses the flow of time in a clever way to end the article, “A piece of writing is never finished. It is delivered to a deadline, torn out of the typewriter on demand, sent off with a sense of accomplishment and shame and pride and frustration. If only there were a couple more days, time for just another run at it, perhaps then …”.  Leaving a thought unfinished is an emphasis on the reality of our physical world.

“Writers try to be sure that they anticipate and answer the questions a critical reader will ask when reading the piece of writing” (page 29).

Throughout the reading,  I realized variations of the word criticize, this included: critical, critique, critically and criticism. The Oxford Languages definition for critical is “expressing or involving an analysis of the merits and faults of a work of literature”. Criticism should happen after the writing process in a stage of revision. Writing is a way to express one’s self and revising is refining what you want to express. Writing is a physical form of your thoughts, a raw visualization of your mind. Revision comes into play when you want to share your thoughts and make sure they are portrayed in a way that represents you well. Humans are naturally critical based on their ideas. This creates a virtually never ending revision process because every person can interpret your work in their own way. Criticism is a part of society; it is why people follow social norms and shy away from speaking out. Movies, art, fashion, etc. are all criticized and each share the common task of showing expression of someone or some group of people. Writing is not exempt from this criticism. Not only do others criticize you, but as a member of society you criticize yourself based on the thoughts of other people. Since criticism is such a part of human culture, writers already have an idea of what needs to be in their writing. According to Murray some of these things are information, meaning, structure, dimension, and voice. Murray speaks of audience, form and structure and through this shows just how much of the revision process is focused on the readers. Writers must, “put themselves in the reader’s situation and make sure that they deliver information which a reader wants to know or needs to know in a manner that is easily digested” (page 29). 

Every mind has its own unique way of thinking and language is a way for everyone to understand each other. In the revision process, writers also make sure that their writing is of a certain standard in their perspective language. The most important part of the revision process is making sure your message is what you want it to be. Revision makes sure your ideas are fully thought out and written so others will not only be able to read it but understand it as well. Writing has so many components to it. You can write in a journal for yourself or write for others to relate to it or learn from it. Revision helps you figure out what you are going to do with your thoughts. What are you going to say? Who are you going to help? What story are you trying to tell? Revision is a constant process of asking yourself “what is my mind trying to say?”. Our thoughts are the purest form of what we mean and through revision we get closer and closer to that pure form using language.