Search for my tougue Flashcards
Q: What is the main theme of Search for My Tongue?
A: The poem explores themes of identity, language, cultural conflict, and the struggle of maintaining one’s mother tongue while assimilating into another culture.
Q: How is the poem structured?
A: The poem is divided into three sections: the first in English, expressing fear of losing the mother tongue; the second in Gujarati, visually and phonetically representing the native language; and the third returning to English, showing the survival and resurgence of the mother tongue.
Q: How does the poet use metaphor to describe the mother tongue?
A: The mother tongue is compared to a “tongue” in the mouth and a “plant” that, despite fear of loss, regrows and flourishes: “it grows back, a stump of a shoot… it blossoms out of your mouth.”
Q: What does the Gujarati section of the poem symbolize?
A: It symbolizes the poet’s deep connection to her native language and culture, showing that the mother tongue remains an intrinsic part of her identity, despite external influences.
Q: How does the poet present the conflict between two languages?
A: Bhatt describes the fear of losing her first language (“You ask me what I mean by saying I have lost my tongue”), portraying the tension between her mother tongue and English.
Q: How does the poet emphasize the resilience of the mother tongue?
A: Through the metaphor of a plant: “it ties the other tongue in knots”, illustrating that the native language reasserts itself and cannot be fully erased.
Q: What is the significance of using both English and Gujarati in the poem?
A: It reflects the poet’s bilingual experience, making the reader physically experience the linguistic divide and struggle between the two tongues.
Q: How does Bhatt use imagery to portray the mother tongue?
A: The poet uses visceral imagery: “I thought I had spit it out”, suggesting language as a physical part of oneself, reinforcing its deep-rooted nature.
Q: What is the significance of the phrase “a stump of a shoot”?
A: It symbolizes regrowth and renewal, indicating that the mother tongue, though feared lost, always has the potential to revive.
Q: How does the poem contrast fear and hope?
A: The first section expresses fear of losing the language, while the latter half shows hope as the mother tongue “blossoms out of your mouth”, reinforcing its enduring nature.
Q: How does the poet use personal pronouns in the poem?
A: The use of “you” in “You ask me what I mean” directly engages the reader, making the conflict relatable and immersive.
Q: What does the phrase “foreign tongue” suggest?
A: It highlights the distance and unfamiliarity of English in contrast to the poet’s native language, underscoring the sense of cultural displacement.
Q: How does Search for My Tongue compare to Blessing?
A: Both poems explore themes of identity and culture, but Search for My Tongue focuses on linguistic and personal identity, whereas Blessing highlights economic disparity and cultural symbolism.
