speaking in tongues a letter to third world women writers

summary part 1

"Speaking in Tongues: A Letter to Third World Women Writers" is a passionate and introspective letter written by Gloria Anzaldúa to her fellow women writers of color. In it, she addresses the unique struggles and challenges they face as marginalized writers, exploring themes of identity, oppression, and empowerment. 

summary part 2

Anzaldúa begins by envisioning her fellow writers in various settings, highlighting the diverse experiences they bring to their craft. She reflects on her own journey as a writer and the difficulties she encountered in finding her voice amidst societal pressures and expectations

summary part 3

Throughout the letter, Anzaldúa delves into the complexities of writing as a woman of color, emphasizing the need to resist societal stereotypes and reclaim one's own narrative. She discusses the invisibility and marginalization faced by women of color in both mainstream and feminist literary circles, urging them to assert their voices and experiences. 

summary part 4

Anzaldúa challenges the notion of writing as a solitary pursuit, advocating for solidarity and support among women writers of color. She critiques the tokenization and appropriation often experienced by marginalized writers within predominantly white spaces. 

summary 5

The letter also delves into the practical challenges of writing, such as finding time and space amidst other responsibilities. Anzaldúa encourages writers to embrace their own creativity and authenticity, rejecting the pressure to conform to dominant literary norms. 

summary 6

Ultimately, "Speaking in Tongues" is a call to action for women writers of color to embrace their power and agency, to write boldly and unapologetically, and to reclaim their voices in a world that often seeks to silence them. 

summary 7

Gloria Anzaldúa writes a heartfelt letter addressed to Third World women writers, expressing solidarity and sharing personal struggles and insights regarding the act of writing. She reflects on the challenges unique to women of color writers, such as invisibility, cultural erasure, and societal expectations. Anzaldúa emphasizes the importance of reclaiming one's voice, resisting tokenism, and embracing the power of self-expression. She delves into the complexities of identity, cultural heritage, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity in writing.

introduction

• Anzaldúa addresses Third World women writers with empathy and camaraderie. 

• She describes her vulnerable state while writing, stripped bare under the sun with a typewriter against her knee, attempting to visualize her fellow writers. 

challenges faced by women of colour writers

• Anzaldúa acknowledges the unique struggles faced by women of color in the literary world, distinct from those of white women. 

• She highlights the invisibility and marginalization experienced by women of color, both in mainstream society and within feminist circles. 

language and cultural identity

• Anzaldúa explores the significance of language in shaping cultural identity and self-expression. 

• She reflects on the impact of colonial education systems, which often devalue native languages and cultural heritage. 

• Anzaldúa laments the loss of her native tongue and the struggle to reclaim it in her writing. 

personal resistance to writing

• Anzaldúa asserts the transformative power of writing in reclaiming one's voice and asserting individuality. 

• She advocates for authenticity and self-expression, urging writers to embrace their unique perspectives and experiences. 

unity and solidarity

• Anzaldúa emphasizes the importance of community and solidarity among women of color writers. 

• She warns against tokenism and the pressure to conform to dominant narratives within feminist discourse. 

the act of writing

• Anzaldúa reflects on the physical and emotional challenges of writing, from distractions and self-doubt to the fear of revealing uncomfortable truths. 

• She encourages writers to persevere despite these challenges, recognizing the inherent power in self-expression. 

conclusi

overall impression

"Speaking in Tongues" is a poignant and deeply personal letter that sheds light on the struggles and triumphs of Third World women writers. Anzaldúa's candid reflections on language, identity, and the creative process resonate with authenticity and offer valuable insights into the complexities of cultural representation in literature. Her call for unity, empowerment, and fearless self-expression serves as a rallying cry for marginalized voices in the literary world. 

 

What epistolary essay did Anzaldúa begin drafting in 1979?

This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color

In what year was Anzaldúa's essay published?

1981

What is the main theme of Anzaldúa's essay?

The power of the written word

Who is the intended audience of Anzaldúa's letter?

Third World Women Writers

What obstacles do women writers of color face?

They are invisible in both the white male mainstream world and the white women's feminist world

What is the significance of the lesbian of color's invisibility?

She doesn't even exist

What language do women of color speak?

A language that reflects their culture and spirit

What does Anzaldúa lack in her writing?

Language

What is the danger of selling out one's own ideologies?

Contributing to the invisibility of sister-writers

What is the act of writing?

The act of making soul, alchemy. It is the quest for the self, for the center of the self.

what is the danger in writing?

Not fusing our personal experience and world view with the social reality we live in, with our inner life, our history, our economics, and our vision.

What validates us as human beings?

What matters to us is the relationships that are important to us whether with our self or with others.

What are the distractions that subvert the writing?

Eating, lighting incense, putting on a record, going for a walk, and other activities that delay the writing process.

What is the power of writing?

To move and transform others, to dispel loneliness, and to create a sense of power and communion among writers.

How is the worth of writing measured?

By how much the writer puts themselves on the line and achieves nakedness in their writing.

Why is writing dangerous?

Because it reveals our fears, angers, and strengths under oppression, and a woman who writes has power.

What is the purpose of speaking up?

To speak loud, speak unsettling things, be dangerous, and let everyone hear, whether they want to or not.

What has society fooled us about?

The mass media has fooled us about the power and importance of writing.

What are the steps a writer integrates into her craft?

Wishes, dreams, and fantasies

What should writers write with?

Their eyes like painters, their ears like musicians, and their feet like dancers

What should writers not let happen to their pens?

Banish them from themselves or let the ink coagulate

What should writers write on the paper?

Their shit

What should writers shock their readers into?

New ways of perceiving the world

What should writers write about to connect with life?

The sensation of the body, the images seen by the eye, the expansion of the psyche

What should writers find within themselves?

The muse

What should writers not fake or sell for a handclap or their name in print?

Their voice

What should writers write of to ward off the sneers?

What most links us with life

What should writers do if they are going to spit in the eye of the world?

Make sure their back is to the wind

Speaking in Tongues

Find the muse within you. The voice that lies buried under you, dig it up. Do not fake it, try to sell it for a handclap or your name in print.

Mujer mágica

Empty yourself. Shock yourself into new ways of perceiving the world, shock your readers into the same. Stop the chatter inside their heads. Your skin must be sensitive enough for the lightest kiss and thick enough to ward off the sneers. If you are going to spit in the eye of the world, make sure your back is to the wind. Write of what most links us with life, the sensation of the body, the images seen by the eye, the expansion of the psyche in tranquility: moments of high intensity, its movement, sounds, thoughts. Even though we go hungry we are not impoverished of experiences.

Conditioning

The belief that our lives must be lived in great explosions, by 'falling in love,' by being 'swept off our feet,' and by the sorcery of magic genies that will fulfill our every wish, our every childhood longing.

What did it mean for a black woman to be an artist in our grandmother's time?

A question with an answer cruel enough to stop the blood.

What is the power of writing for women of color?

The ability to move and transform others, dispelling loneliness and powerlessness.

Invisibility

The state of being unseen or unnoticed