Images of Latinas: Week 2

Language and Women: Are We Prisoners of the Word?

"We speak in tongues like the outcast and the insane"... In this section we will discuss the value of writing within a feminist perspective. In the particular case of Latinas , the 'war' between English and Spanish is one of the most important sites of resistance and of affirmation of identity.

Readings

• From Anzaldúa, "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" pp. 53-65
• From Moraga, "Who Told You Anybody Wants to Hear from You?" pp. 175-77.

Questions

• Question 1: How is shame used to silence Latinas? What is Anzaldua's reaction to this cultural imposition of silence?
• Question 2: Comment on the contradiction between responsibility (social) and silence.

Group Presentation