Introduction
In the world of literature, tone and genre plays a huge role while writing a book, an article, or even a play. The two determines the kind of audience one is targeting. In its context, tone refers to the way writers express their attitude in a given work of writing. On the other hand, genre refers to any stylistic class of literature, which abides by certain conventions. In often cases, it is difficult to determine the befitting genre of a given work of literature, considering that, most stories assume more than one genre. In that sense, the ensuing discussion focuses on analyzing tone and genre in three articles namely: Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr., How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua and Rebecca Solnit: if I were a man. The major focus is on analyzing whether the audience and image of the authors would change if the authors decided to change the tone and genre of their articles.
How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua
In the creative non-fiction article How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua, the author outlines her childhood background, which left indelible painful marks in her memory, owing to the demeaning treatment and struggles she underwent with her fellow Chicanos. Throughout the article, a passionate, determined, and emotional tone is evident. Specifically, the article focuses on sense of identity and language.
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In a rather passionate tone, Gloria Anzaldua wrote the article with an intention of redefining the identity of minorities. Her background, probably serves as the motivation for her to write the article. She is determined to tell the world about her identity and the treatment she gets owing to the same (Anzaldua). Born of immigrant parents, she comes from a diverse background, and she is not ashamed of her identity. The article explores the way diversity has an impact in shaping individual’s personal identity, and the significance of one’s language.
The article opens with Anzaldua being in a dentist office, and that marks the genesis of her story. The dentist complains that her tongue is rather stubborn and strong, an assertion that leaves her frustrated. Immediately, she wonders how she can tame a wild tongue and make it quiet. Although the dentist is not concerned about her accent, she reacts strangely, something that shows the readers that she is aware of how she speaks, and the reaction it has on other people. She believes that, people use her accent to define her, and this explains why people cannot accept her as a native speaker of English and Spanish (Anzaldua). However, that does not seem to bother her. In other words, she is not willing to change who she is for the sake of others. She feels that, the way she speaks is only appropriate to those she associates with, individuals with complicated, elaborate, and complex background. According to her, “Chicano Spanish sprang out of the Chicano’s need to identify ourselves as a distinct people.” in that sense, Chicano Spanish is a unique identity, and one that gives her identity.
The determined and passionate tone reveals a strong character that cannot be weighed down by the way people demean others because of their background. She does not allow the obstacles and stereotypes meted on her simply because of her accent to pull her down. She was always frustrated and angered owing to her language, and at one time, her self-esteem was badly affected. She felt that she was of no value, but despite all those challenges, she remained strong, and that explains her courage of putting the ordeal she underwent in writing (Anzaldua). Ultimately, she recognizes that, the only way to remain happy is to accept that her tongue betrays her, and she cannot hide it. She comes out as a perfect example of people who accept the way things are. She is an individual that embraces the fact that, one’s identity is determined by their language and that the world should not dictate how people should speak.
In the event the tone and genre of the article by Gloria Anzaldua were to change, the audience will definitely change, and their image towards the author will be affected. The setting and the events surrounding the article are well brought out using a passionate and determined tone. The willingness to fight and the ability to self-validate irrespective of the negative reactions would not have come out better, in a different situation. Changing the genre and the tone would make the article inappropriate in discussing sensitive social issues such as racism, identity formation, low self-esteem, and sexism (Anzaldua). The message of respecting the language one is speaking would not have come out better in a different tone. It is perfect and forthright, and any change would probably have changed the bold and determined nature of the author, in eyes of the readers.
Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr
In the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr, he uses a respectful, reasonable, bolder, and emotional tone to write his persuasive essay to the clergy. The letter came as a rebuttal and a response to the white clergymen, who felt that his nonviolent demonstrations should cease and wait for the jury to settle the issues of segregation. When the letter opens, Luther employs a rather polite and sarcastic tone while describing the purpose of his letter. He begins by observing that the clergymen are individuals with good will and that their criticisms are obviously set forth. However, that does not mean backing off from the demonstrations (King). The broad and strong voice used in the letter is a clear indication that King was not happy with the segregation, because it was unjust. In that sense, he saw no need of obeying the law. He is surprised that the clergymen were supporting the Birmingham police, instead of condemning the harsh treatment and brutal ways of handling the black people. As real men of God, one would expect that the clergymen would support King to push for the rights of all people, regardless of their color.
Indeed, the tone in the letter is forthright, and one that sets to separate the good from the bad. He questions the way the clergymen could advocate for breaking sections of the law, while obeying others. It depicts and seeks to show the hypocritical nature of the men of god. His constant use of rhetorical questions enables him to illustrate his points, besides strengthening his tone and points (King). When asserts that, ‘Now is the time…solid rock of human dignity’’, he is simply using such a powerful and optimistic tone to demonstrate hope to the black people, that they would be freed from prejudice to an equal and free society. In almost all the instances in the letter, he uses a polite and sincere tone to address the clergymen, although his words demonstrate the disappointment. However, at some point in the letter, he uses a bitter and irritated tone, especially while speaking on the way the whites attempt to moderate the black people to pursue their constitutional rights. He cannot buy the assertion by the white people that the colored will eventually gain equal rights.
A close look at this creative genre and the tone used indicates that, any change would definitely put off the audience, and they would fail to relate with the message. The setting of the letter, which is in jail, complements the tone. The rebuttal was obviously done while King was relaxed and had all the time to think through regarding the content he was going to include in it (King). The powerful but calm tone would have been hard to achieve were King placed in a different setting. The tone depicts someone determined to get freedom, probably the reason he compares himself to Paul in the bible. Paul’s letters were mostly written while he was in prison. The carefully chosen words befit the tone of the letter, as they complement the message of unlawful deeds, which the clergymen are supporting. When he asserts that, “an unjust law is no law at all”, he is simply adding strength to his tone, and pushing his point home that, some of the laws need to be done away with (King). In fact, in the event the author of the letter was to change the tone, then the image the readers have towards him would definitely change. Probably, they would see him as a coward, and a sympathizer of the harsh and demeaning state that the Negroes were subjected to. In any case, a change of tone would be possible if only the unjust laws were not being practiced, and people were treated fairly, and justice served.
Rebecca Solnit: if I were a man
In her non-fiction article titled ‘If I were a man’ , Rebecca Solnit uses a sarcastic, confident, and forthright tone to express the way the society treat men and women differently. She admits that, although she likes so many things regarding women, she feels that they are somehow in a prison. According to her, ‘being a man can be a prison in other ways.’ The society expects that men have to succeed in their undertakings, while their female counterparts have a room for failing (Solnit). She observes that, at one time, men demonstrated in order to liberate themselves from women, with the banners reading ‘men are more than just success objects’. According to Solnit, men are burdened with societal expectations, and women have always struggled to keep up with their male counterparts. The society expects that they grow and become presented, or the pride and joy of their mothers. They are supposed to offer support to their families, do remarkable things, work hard, appear decent, and even after all this, they are still deemed insufficient. Expectedly, men should be the one occupying high positions in companies, but the stakes have slowly changed.
Factually, the author is simply demonstrating that, women sometimes get worried whenever they see their male condescending in their dominating nature. She gives an account of the way a young woman recently enrolled in a college and was surprised she was shining in the presence of young men. They were unable to dominate the classroom conversations, which she found strange. In everything, it appears men and women have to be compared, although women seem to like being treated as their male counterparts. As the author desires, she would like to walk around alone, in cities, on mountains, unmolested (Solnit) . The genre befits the message being relayed by the author of desiring to be a man. According to her, if women were men, they would engage in many activities without necessarily having to worry that they are women. They would wander in alone without having the fear that someone is following them. Unlike their male counterparts, women have been molested, groped, attacked, followed, and harassed and in some cases, they have been forced to hide themselves.
In view of this article, a change of the tone or genre would obviously distort the message and it would not attract the same audience. In fact, a soft and friendly tone would make it difficult to pursue the topics of restraining orders, murder, and rape. The audience would look at the author differently were she to change the tone (Solnit). Some would feel that she has not packaged the message appropriately, and obviously, they would cease to take the article with the seriousness it deserves. Owing to the convincing tone, the author has made managed to convince the audience that women have made progress and the society is taking women more seriously, although they still have a long way to go. If at all this article was written in a humorous and fictional way, the targeted audience would have missed the point altogether (Solnit). Changing the situation would equally distort the message. In other words, the author has to demonstrate that women lead a difficult life, owing to the societal expectations. They have to wear certain types of clothes and shoes, in a bid to fit in the society. In contrast, their male counterparts enjoy and feel free to engage in anything. They can wear any form of clothes, with little fear of what the world will look at them. For that reason, women just wish they were men. The situation has to remain like that for the tone and genre of this article to remain.
References
Anzaldua, G. “How to Tame a Wild Tongue?”
King, M. L. “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Solnit, R. If I were a man
