search for my tongue essay

Search For My Tongue Summary & Analysis by Sujata Bhatt

  • Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
  • Poetic Devices
  • Vocabulary & References
  • Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
  • Line-by-Line Explanations

search for my tongue essay

“Search for My Tongue” was written by the poet Sujata Bhatt, who was born in Gujarat, India, but immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 12. “Search for My Tongue” combines English and Gujarati, Bhatt’s native language, as it explores what it is like to be an immigrant in a new culture, the pressures of assimilation, and the relationship between language and identity. “Search for My Tongue” was first published in 1988, as part of Bhatt’s first collection of poems, Brunizem .

  • Read the full text of “Search For My Tongue”

search for my tongue essay

The Full Text of “Search For My Tongue”

“search for my tongue” summary, “search for my tongue” themes.

Theme Language, Identity, and Communication

Language, Identity, and Communication

Theme Immigration and Assimilation

Immigration and Assimilation

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “search for my tongue”.

You ask me ... ... in your mouth,

search for my tongue essay

and lost the ... ... the foreign tongue.

You could not ... ... a foreign tongue,

Lines 12-16

your mother tongue ... ... while I dream,

Lines 17-23

munay hutoo kay ... ... modhama pakay chay

Lines 24-28

it grows back, ... ... other tongue aside.

Lines 29-31

Everytime I think ... ... of my mouth.

“Search For My Tongue” Symbols

Symbol The Dream

  • Line 16: “but overnight while I dream,”

Symbol The Bud and Blossom

The Bud and Blossom

  • Line 27: “the bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth,”
  • Line 31: “it blossoms out of my mouth.”

“Search For My Tongue” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

  • Line 2: “I have lost my tongue.”
  • Lines 3-4: “what would you do / if you had two tongues in your mouth,”
  • Line 5: “the mother tongue,”
  • Line 7: “the foreign tongue.”
  • Line 12: “mother tongue”
  • Line 26: “it ties the other tongue in knots,”
  • Line 28: “it pushes the other tongue aside.”
  • Line 30: “mother tongue,”

Extended Metaphor

  • Lines 12-14: “your mother tongue would rot, / rot and die in your mouth / until you had to spit it out.”
  • Lines 24-28: “it grows back, a stump of a shoot / grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins, / it ties the other tongue in knots, / the bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth, / it pushes the other tongue aside.”

Alliteration

  • Line 3: “what would”
  • Line 4: “two tongues”
  • Line 12: “mother”
  • Line 13: “mouth”
  • Line 24: “stump”
  • Line 25: “strong”
  • Line 26: “ties,” “tongue”
  • Line 27: “my mouth”
  • Line 30: “mother”
  • Line 31: “my mouth”
  • Line 2: “lost,” “tongue”
  • Line 5: “ lost,” “ first,” “tongue”
  • Line 12: “mother,” “tongue,” “rot”
  • Line 13: “rot,” “mouth”
  • Line 14: “spit,” “it,” “out.”
  • Line 15: “thought,” “spit,” “it,” “out”
  • Line 24: “grows,” “stump”
  • Line 25: “grows,” “grows,” “moist,” “grows,” “strong,” “veins,”
  • Line 26: “ties,” “tongue,” “knots”
  • Line 27: “opens,” “opens,” “my mouth”
  • Line 28: “aside”
  • Line 31: “blossoms,” “my mouth”
  • Line 3: “you do”
  • Line 4: “you,” “ two”
  • Line 5: “one,” “mother tongue”
  • Line 6: “other”
  • Line 14: “spit it,” “out”
  • Line 15: “spit it,” “out”
  • Line 16: “overnight while I”
  • Line 26: “other tongue”
  • Line 27: “bud,” “bud”
  • Line 28: “other tongue,” “aside”
  • Line 29: “Everytime I,” “I've”
  • Line 30: “lost,” “mother tongue”
  • Line 31: “blossoms,” “out,” “mouth”
  • Line 4: “if you had two tongues in your mouth,”
  • Lines 1-2: “mean / by”
  • Lines 3-4: “do / if”
  • Lines 8-9: “together / even”
  • Lines 10-11: “to / speak”
  • Lines 13-14: “mouth / until”
  • Lines 15-16: “out / but”
  • Lines 24-25: “shoot / grows”

End-Stopped Line

  • Line 2: “tongue.”
  • Line 4: “mouth,”
  • Line 5: “tongue,”
  • Line 6: “other,”
  • Line 7: “tongue.”
  • Line 9: “way.”
  • Line 11: “tongue,”
  • Line 12: “rot,”
  • Line 14: “out.”
  • Line 16: “dream,”
  • Line 23: “chay”
  • Line 25: “veins,”
  • Line 26: “knots,”
  • Line 27: “mouth,”
  • Line 28: “aside.”
  • Line 29: “forgotten,”
  • Line 30: “tongue,”
  • Line 31: “mouth.”
  • Line 5: “and lost the first one”
  • Line 6: “and could not really know the other,”
  • Line 10: “And if you lived”
  • Line 24: “it grows back”
  • Line 25: “grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins”
  • Lines 12-13: “your mother tongue would rot, / rot and die in your mouth”
  • Lines 24-30: “it grows back, a stump of a shoot / grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins, / it ties the other tongue in knots, / the bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth, / it pushes the other tongue aside. / Everytime I think I've forgotten, / I think I've lost the mother tongue,”
  • Line 1: “You ask me”
  • Line 2: “I have lost my tongue”
  • Line 3: “I ask you,” “you”
  • Line 4: “you,” “tongues,” “your mouth”
  • Line 5: “lost,” “the mother tongue”
  • Line 7: “the foreign tongue”
  • Line 11: “foreign tongue”
  • Lines 12-13: “rot, / rot”
  • Line 13: “your mouth”
  • Lines 14-15: “until you had to spit it out. / I thought I spit it out”
  • Line 17: “jeebh,” “bhasha”
  • Line 18: “chay”
  • Line 19: “mari bhasha,” “chay”
  • Line 20: “jaim,” “mari bhasha,” “jeebh”
  • Line 21: “modhama,” “chay”
  • Line 22: “jaim,” “mari bhasha mari,” “jeebh”
  • Line 23: “modhama,” “chay”
  • Line 26: “the other tongue”
  • Line 27: “the bud opens, the bud opens,” “my mouth”
  • Line 28: “the other tongue”
  • Lines 29-30: “ I think I've forgotten, / I think I've lost the mother tongue”

“Search For My Tongue” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

  • The Gujarati Section
  • (Location in poem: Line 2: “tongue.”; Line 4: “tongues”; Line 5: “tongue,”; Line 7: “ tongue.”; Line 11: “tongue,”; Line 12: “tongue”; Line 26: “tongue”; Line 28: “tongue”; Line 30: “tongue,”)

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Search For My Tongue”

Rhyme scheme, “search for my tongue” speaker, “search for my tongue” setting, literary and historical context of “search for my tongue”, more “search for my tongue” resources, external resources.

Interview with Sujata Bhatt — Read this interview with Sujata Bhatt to learn more about why she values poetry and how different cultures influence her work. The interview includes an audio and video clip in which Bhatt discusses the importance of poetry to her.

Sujata Bhatt on the Blending of Languages in Poetry — Watch this short video to see Sujata Bhatt discuss why she writes poetry in English, as well as why in some poems, including “Search for My Tongue,” she combines English and Gujarati, her native language.

“Search for My Tongue” Recited by Fatima Djalalova — Watch this clip from a 2019 Ted Talk to hear 11th-grader Fatima Djalalova from Uzbekistan recite Bhatt’s poem and discuss what it means to her. Djalalova is a native speaker of Russian and Uzbek, and a student in an international school where English is the dominant language. In this clip, she explores the connection between language and identity and talks about the importance of linguistic diversity.

Biography of Sujata Bhatt — Read more about Sujata Bhatt’s life and work in this article from the British Council.

Audio of Poems from Brunizem — Listen to Sujata Bhatt read a number of poems from her first collection, Brunizem, in which “Search for My Tongue” first appeared. Like “Search for My Tongue,” many of the poems in this collection draw on different cultural influences and linguistic traditions.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Sujata Bhatt

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Search For My Tongue (Sujata Bhatt)

You ask me what I mean by saying I have lost my tongue. I ask you, what would you do if you had two tongues in your mouth, and lost the first one, the mother tongue, and could not really know the other, the foreign tongue. You could not use them both together even if you thought that way. And if you lived in a place you had to speak a foreign tongue, your mother tongue would rot, rot and die in your mouth until you had to spit it out. I thought I spit it out but overnight while I dream,

(munay hutoo kay aakhee jeebh aakhee bhasha)

(may thoonky nakhi chay)

(parantoo rattray svupnama mari bhasha pachi aavay chay)

(foolnee jaim mari bhasha nmari jeebh)

(modhama kheelay chay)

(fullnee jaim mari bhasha mari jeebh)

(modhama pakay chay)

it grows back, a stump of a shoot grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins, it ties the other tongue in knots, the bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth, it pushes the other tongue aside. Everytime I think I've forgotten, I think I've lost the mother tongue, it blossoms out of my mouth.

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boat's search for my tongue and Agard's half caste

IGCSE English Lit: Poetry Comparison – Bhatt’s Search for My Tongue and Agard’s Half-caste

Georgia Education , English 0

Question:  Search for my Tongue  and  Half-caste are both poems about cultural identity. Compare the ways the poets present their own experiences of cultural identity making reference to their attitude and use of language.

search for my tongue essay

Both poems ‘Search for my tongue’ by Sujata Bhatt and ‘Half-caste’ by John Agard have the ongoing and underlying theme of dealing with cultural identity. Bhatt and Agard effectively use language, structure and form to describe and convey their experience to the reader. However, they present contrasting attitudes which in turn evoke an array of various different emotions for the reader. In this essay, I will discuss how the poets use language to present their experiences.

While both poems talk of the poets’ experience of being from a different cultural background to the one that they live in, there are stark contrasts in both poems bringing to surface various cultural differences to the attention of the reader. Agard conveys his frustration with the demeaning label ‘Half-caste’, being associated with his mixed racial heritage ‘wha yu mean when you say half-caste’. Throughout the poem his anger only boils until the end where he puts the onus on the audience to become whole in order to fully appreciate his wholeness.

Bhatt talks of the internal struggle of losing and consequently not being able to converse in her ‘mother tongue’, Gujerati. Therefore losing a ‘part of herself and her cultural identity’. This shows how the ‘foreign tongue’ has almost taken over. ‘Search for my tongue’ contrasts ‘Half-caste’ in the sense that, while Agard’s cultural identity ties in with the colour of his skin, Bhatt’s struggle is much more embedded within her as she writes of the loss of a language.

In this poem, Bhatt directly addresses the reader using second person in a crisp, clear tone. This makes them directly engage with the dilemma, and even more so stresses the difficulty and discomfort of having ‘two tongues in your mouth’. Bhatt clearly writes this piece intending it to be read, phonetically writing out the Gujerati in the third section of the poem. She abandons conventional language as well not capitalising the first letter of each line, making it a continuous sentence, symbolising the growing tongue.

Agard, however addresses and takes on the audience in an accusatory and confrontational stance effectively describing and conveying his frustrations in a somewhat roundabout manner. He also addresses the reader directly, much like Bhatt, but he approaches the audience in a much more conversational manner. Where Bhatt’s poem is intended to be read, Agard’s poem is written to be performed ‘Excuse me, standing on one leg’.

Agard mixes creole and traditional English ‘yu mean’ and ‘explain yuself’ to convey and further confirm his struggle of facing racial discrimination for being ‘half-caste’. This allows him to physically show the audience what he struggles with.

Bhatt on the other hand sympathises with the reader and tries to make the reader understand her situation by writing in an almost story-like fashion. The section in Gujerati describes the deep embedded soul of the language, allowing it to flow back to her. This contrasts and emphasises Agards dexterity in both languages.

Both poems open strongly, showing a pride for their culture and language. ‘Search for my tongue’ directly addresses the reader in a firm and authoritative, almost commanding manner using strong language, you can immediately tell the poet is in search for her identity.

Agard’s poem opens strongly, however, rather politely, this contrasts with the authoritative manner used by Bhatt ‘excuse me I am standing on one leg’. Here is presents the absurd image and opens with a comical stance, later going on to take a confrontational one which continues throughout the poem. Agard using irony and humour in this poem though the subject is of utmost important. ‘cast half a shadow’, this is an absurd but most creative idea used by Agard.

Instead of humour Bhatt in ‘Search for my tongue’ uses metaphorical language to shock the reader with graphic imagery of death. ‘Rot and die in your mouth’. The graphic and emphatic description coupled with the harsh constant ‘spit it out’ directly mirrors the struggle she faces.

Agard uses reference to Picasso and Tchaikovsky ‘mix red an green’ and a ‘half-caste symphony’. Having compared the works of Picasso and Tchaikovsky, he goes on to compare it to ‘England weather’ going on to further convey the unkindness of the remark ‘half-caste’. Unlike Agard, Bhatt uses beautiful floral imagery ‘grows back, a stump of a shoot’ this contrasts the imagery of death earlier on in the poem and Agard’s approach as a man using examples such as ‘half-a hand’ and ‘half-a-shadow’.

Bhatt uses one single stanza that wavers in line length, much like a tongue. The section in Gujerati symbolises the loss of her ‘mother tongue’ and the return and turning point of hope. She visualises the ‘mother tongue’ as it floats back.

Agard uses free verse, but the use of repetition, lack of punctuation and occasional rhyme gives the poem an emphatic rhythm and fast pace. The free verse symbolises the much wanted acceptance by the public of him being of mixed racial heritage.

Unlike ‘Search for my tongue’ the opening and closing stanzas stand apart from the rest. This gives an added impact on the audience to understand his situation ‘standing on one leg’ and his forceful request for the reader to return again. Where Bhatt’s poem ends with her getting back her ‘mother tongue’, Agard’s poem finishes open-endedly asking the reader to return.

In conclusion, both poems are contrasting in their perspectives and descriptions of their cultural identity. They both prove that cultural identity is deep within and sometimes hard to find and conquer.

26 June 2020

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Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Literary Genres / Poetry

Analysis of "Search for My Tongue" by Sujata Bhatt

Essay details

Literature , Government

Foreign , Poetry

  • Words: 393 (1 page)

Analysis Of “Search For My Tongue” By Sujata Bhatt

Please note! This essay has been submitted by a student.

Works cited

  • Bhatt, S. (1987). Search for My Tongue. Poetry International Rotterdam, 2. Retrieved from https://www.poetryinternational.org/pi/poem/8554/auto/0/0/Sujata-Bhatt/SEARCH-FOR-MY-TONGUE/en/tile
  • Krasteva, L. (2020). Sujata Bhatt's "Search for My Tongue": A Postcolonial Reading. Journal of Literature and Art Studies, 10(3), 282-293. doi: 10.17265/2159-5836/2020.03.007
  • Todorovic, Z. (2017). Language, culture, identity and the immigrant experience: A study of Sujata Bhatt’s poetry. International Journal of Language and Literature, 5(2), 22-27. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20170502.12
  • Al-Jassim, H. (2016). Sujata Bhatt's Poetry of Estrangement: The Search for the Identity of Self in the Other. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research, 4(2), 47-54. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309337748_Sujata_Bhatt 's_Poetry_of_Estrangement_The_Search_for_the_Identity_of_Self_in_the_Other
  • Hussein, A. (2021). Multiculturalism in Sujata Bhatt’s Poetry: A Study of "Search for My Tongue" and "A Different History". International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 10(2), 32-43. doi: 10.18488/journal.23.2021.102.32.43
  • Goyal, D. (2019). The Quest for Identity in the Poetry of Sujata Bhatt. Journal of English Language and Literature (JOELL), 6(2), 214-219. doi: 10.24113/joell.v6i2.361
  • Lashari, A. A., & Qureshi, S. M. (2017). Sujata Bhatt's Poem Search for My Tongue: A Postcolonial Reading. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 6(6), 50-57. doi: 10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.6n.6p.50
  • Naeem, S. (2021). Postcolonial Analysis of Sujata Bhatt's "Search for My Tongue". International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(2), 135-140. doi: 10.11648/j.ssh.20210502.14
  • Gupta, S. (2021). Hybrid Identity in Sujata Bhatt’s Poetry: A Study of "Search for My Tongue" and "A Different History". International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 6(2), 18-28. doi: 10.24001/ijels.6.2.3
  • Singh, P., & Kaur, R. (2018). A Study of Identity Crisis in the Poetry of Sujata Bhatt. Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, 41, 1-8. Retrieved from https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JLLL/article/view/42299/43890

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English Summary

Search for my Tongue Poem by Sujata Bhatt Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English

Table of Contents

Introduction

Sujata Bhatt, an Indian poet who was raised in the United States but was born in Gujarat, wrote “Search for My Tongue” when she was 12 years old. “Search for My Tongue” examines what it’s like to be an immigrant in a new society, the demands of assimilation, and the connection between language and identity while combining English and Gujarati. The poem “Search for My Tongue” was initially released in 1988 as a part of Brunizem, Bhatt’s first poetry collection.

About the poet

Sujata Bhatt was born in India in 1956, however, she later emigrated to the US where she completed her graduate studies in Iowa. She is well-known for her writing and translation work, and as a result of these characteristics, she has become a popular figure in the literary world.

In these lines, the speaker answers a question about the meaning of losing one’s tongue. To get the listener’s attention, he urges them to observe themselves speaking in two tongues: their mother tongue and a foreign language. The speaker makes an argument that losing one’s mother tongue causes a sense of disconnection and makes it challenging to fully understand or use a foreign language. Even if one wanted to, the phrases demonstrate how difficult it is to successfully employ both languages at once.

The poem by Bhatt focuses on the idea of losing one’s tongue as it examines a fictitious discussion between the reader and herself. The opening three lines of the poem have a conversational tone, as Bhatt questions the person she is speaking to and responds to their own question. This back-and-forth conversation is exclusively shown in Bhatt’s voice. This strategy is effective because it enables communication between the poet and the reader, who share the same viewpoint and level of understanding.

Bhatt’s approach emphasizes the topic’s universality because it is a notion to which many people may connect. This is a good strategy because it prompts the other person to immediately feel the need to defend themselves when they question the “loss of her tongue.” The poem establishes a link between the poet and the reader and conveys the notion of different cultures interacting with one another.

As a result of the opening question’s lack of context, the poem’s approach makes the reader defensive. The remaining lines support this idea by making the reader feel sorry for the poet. Responding to questions with “what would you do” suggests that the person feels their perspective is the sensible one, which increases the poet’s defensiveness.

The idea of “losing” something essential to one’s nature and person in the poetry and then submerging oneself in something one did not know to make up for what one lost is understandable. The reader is more likely to identify with the notion of continuous struggle and ensuing sympathy as a result of the reader’s experience with the confusion of ideas, which is so powerful that it invades thought.

Lines 10-16

The speaker discusses what it’s like to live somewhere when speaking a foreign language is necessary. She conveys her anguish and concern that, if not actively utilized and preserved, their mother tongue might decay and ultimately perish in their mouth. The thought of having to spit out one’s tongue and the sight of it decaying both represent the loss and erasure of one’s language and cultural identity. The speaker’s mention of dreaming in the final lines raises the potential of the mother language reviving and recovering its position, offering a ray of hope.

The poem explores the destruction caused by linguistic disputes, emphasizing the speaker’s concern over losing their native tongue and the repercussions of speaking a different language. According to Bhatt, speaking a language other than one’s own would cause the mother tongue to “rot, rot, and die in your mouth.” The term “rot” is used twice, which is suggestive since Bhatt thinks the damage is so terrible that just using the word once won’t do. The speaker reacts by stating that they must “spit it out,” which is similar to what someone may utter while having difficulty speaking, even though a language barrier is not the cause of their difficulty.

The language in quotation marks, which expresses the speaker’s disappointment, makes the listener feel more defensive. Since the speaker is the one who is “losing” their “tongue,” the outward annoyance of a listener just makes things worse. A “mother tongue” would have been learned so thoroughly that introducing a new language would probably not cause the speaker to lose the memory of their original one, therefore the language would not “rot” or “die” within them.

The concept of “rot and die” may broaden the linguistic distinction to include additional cultural variations that the poet might encounter. Perhaps Bhatt is upset about having to give up some of her culture and history in order to assimilate, and the language concept is just a way for her to express that.

In lines 15 and 16, Bhatt shifts her attention away from the other person to the conversation, giving up the strategy of asking how they would cope if they were in her position. She then goes into detail about how her “mother tongue” returned to her “overnight while she dreamed.” This mode of delivery suggests that Bhatt’s moment of significance comes just after she has talked to others about her circumstances, suggesting that what matters is not the people around her but rather who she continues to be. Once it happens, it is all about her and how she responds.

The speaker laments not speaking their own speech. Even if it appears to be dormant or suppressed, she insists that their original language, Gujarati, is still alive within them. She compares the development of their native tongue to a flower blooming and a fruit maturing. The passages express a feeling of being connected to one’s origins and the resilience of language.

The poem focuses on the speaker’s relationship with their mother tongue as it tackles the themes of language and identity. Gujarati expressions and repetitions highlight the importance of language for one’s identity and emotions. The speaker recognizes that even if their mother tongue is not always visible or actively spoken, they nevertheless feel its influence. The metaphor “foolnee jaim mari bhasha mari jeebh” connects a flower’s blossoming to the flourishing of the mother tongue, representing the beauty and vitality of language. The phrase “modhama pakay chay” compares the ripening of fruit to the sustenance and expansion of the speaker’s mother language, signifying the ongoing growth and diversity of their linguistic heritage.

These lines emphasize language’s adaptability and durability, reiterating its importance and continued existence despite outside influences or the domination of other languages. The speaker emphasizes the importance of preserving one’s native language and culture as well as their deep connection to their linguistic heritage. A feeling of desire, resiliency, and the continuing influence of language in forming personal and cultural identity are conveyed throughout these lines, which examine the complexity of linguistic identification and the intense emotional attachment to one’s mother tongue.

Lines 24-32

The speaker describes how their mother tongue is resilient and productive. The speaker makes a comparison between the revival of their original tongue with the development of a new branch from a stump. The dominance of the foreign tongue is overpowered by the growth of the new tongue, which becomes longer, stronger, and more alive. Despite appearing forgotten or gone, the lines suggest the mother tongue’s enduring influence and rebirth.

The poem examines Bhatt’s “mother” language and how it develops through time. The poem highlights the fact that her “mother tongue” is “moist” and “bud opens,” displaying fresh life and vitality that would be typical of a garden that “blossoms” despite adverse circumstances. Because of her tenacity and zest for life, Bhatt finds that her “mother tongue” is still there and active inside of her, even though she initially believes she has forgotten it. As plants have a life cycle that results in “buds” and “blossoms,” this “forgetting” and “remembering” process is connected to the natural world. Even if Bhatt only encounters this society at night in a dream, the concept that “the mother tongue” “ties the other tongue in knots” suggests the persistence of the culture she thinks to be her “first” connection. This means that Bhatt’s native culture will continue to be a “strong” part of her life as long as she adheres to it, regardless of how much she utilizes it in her current life.

There are two possibilities for the reasoning behind this divide. The first is that Bhatt has demonstrated a degree of concern about losing her culture, which may have been exaggerated as a result of her stress. This would emphasize the value of the poet’s “tongue” to her and stress its relevance to her. The second possibility is that she only “loses” her “tongue” sometimes over the course of the day, that is, it is present inside of her but is momentarily overpowered by the “tongue” she must use in her day-to-day life. According to this view, the “tongue” was just momentarily “pushed” aside rather than truly being gone.

A person attempting to balance their “mother” being with a “foreign” thought is well depicted in the poem. Even if more components are added to a person, their history and character can still be preserved. However, there is always a risk that the person’s identity could disappear. Although it is a continuous and difficult process, neither a “tongue” nor a culture must be stolen.

search for my tongue essay

Famous Poems and Best Poets

Comparative Essay for Poetry Unit: “Search for My Tongue”

Gayness interior hidden by the British exterior. Both poets express these cultural conflicts with the use of perspective, cultural context, literary devices, imagery and variations to syntax. The similarities in these poems show that cultural conflict is abundant and ubiquitous, whereas the differences provide uniqueness amongst the cultural conflicts. In Search for My Tongue, Beats poem encompasses the conflict between mother tongue and the foreign tongue. These very physical objects replace her native language of Guajarati and foreign language of English.

The use of this metaphorical analogy is widespread, such as in the French language, where the word langue means both tongue and language. According to Bath, if you had to/speak a foreign tongue,/your mother tongue would rot (10-12). The conflict between languages continues in the subconscious world, where the mother tongue always returns and blossoms out of my mouth (38). Similarly Half-Caste is also a conflict of cultures, specifically race. John Agar is a mixed race of black and white light an shadow (13). His life in Britain has allegedly suppressed his black, unwanted side.

This protest poem is the black side attempting o be freed Just as how Beats mother tongue wants to grow(s) back (31). Agar often describes himself as half a person, standing on one leg (2), Half-a-eye (41), half-a- dream (43), half-a-shadow, (46). Bath searches for her two tongue but only finds one. Contrastingly, Half-caste is a poem of external conflict between Agar and the disapproving English society, whereas Search For My Tongue is about self-discovery and internal conflict. In Search for My Tongue, lines between 1 and 14 are all in the 2nd person, which connects the poem to the reader.

It is more dramatic and heartfelt Han a narrative. Beats internal conflicts are voiced out to the world, searching for an answer to the question I ask you, what would you do (3). Half-caste uses the exact same strategy in order to achieve a different goal. The 2nd person narrative is installed between lines 4 and 37. He uses phrases like Explain housefly/whoa you mean (4-5), which directly targets the discriminating British (you need proof of that from his poem) you put the on metaphor with the sun don’t pass in England society, it fits really well here .

External conflicts between Agar and the society are immediately voiced. Both poems employ the perspective of the it is not 2nd person , JUDD told me that on Search for my tongue sits connect with the reader, but one does it to apply the internal conflicts to the outside world whereas the other does it to be heard. Bath brings out her internal conflicts so that she can connect with the reader. In Search for My Tongue, many literary devices are used to bring out these internal conflicts. Her metaphorical tongues actually symbolize languages. She often changes between the ambiguous meanings.

For example, she states that if you had two ensues in your mouth,/and lost the first one, the mother tongue, (4-5). Bath is giving supernatural qualities to the physical tongue. In an another example, she states that your mother tongue would rot,/rot and die in your mouth (12-13). In this case, Bath is creating personifications by giving lifelike, natural properties to a language. This shows how Bath is switching between the multiple meanings. In Half-caste, Agar also draws on multiple examples. Contrastingly, he uses allusions or references to external literary works. The two apparent allusions are Picasso and Tchaikovsky.

Put the lines Both of these artists use contrasts to create a greater piece of work. According to Agar, a mixed person is a living example of beauty derived from two contrasting cultures. Although the meaning of these allusions is not ambiguous, they are often sarcastic and direct. The differences in the use of literary devices have to do with the fact that Bath is unclear about her cultural conflict, whereas Agar understands his cultural conflict. Both poets use the literary device of repetition to express cultural conflict. For example, in “Search for My Tongue,” the words tongue and mouth are very abundant.

The word “tongue” ends lines 2, 5, 7, 11 and 37. The word “mouth” ends lines 4, 13, 34 and 38. Not only does the repetition bring the poem together, it strengthens the message Bath is trying to send. It resembles a distress signal from a person with dire need. Similarly, John Agar repeats the phrase “Explain housefly” in lines 4, 10, 23 and 31 . This reminds the reader of the aggressive tone in this rebellious poem, and ties the poem together. Every time a new idea is brought up, “Explain housefly” is the introductory line. Another way the poets attempt to describe cultural conflict is by the use of imagery.

At the end of the poem, Strata Bath writes “It grows back, a stump of a shoot” (31). This is a metaphor, comparing the mother language to a growing bamboo. The metaphor adds to the clear imagery. Continuing,Grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins,alt ties the other tongue in knots,The bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth,alt pushes the other tongue aside. (32-35)These lines paint a very explicit picture in the reader’s mind, helping the poet come across with the meaning. Similarly, John Agar also appeals to the many senses. The “red an green” (8) on the “canvas” (9) feed on the human sense of sight.

The “black key” (28) and “white key” (29) in the “symphony” (30) by “Tchaikovsky” (26) affect the human sense of hearing. Together, it allows the reader to fully experience the idea of “Half- Caste. “Finally, both poets use a strange form of syntax. In “Search for My Tongue,” Bath adds a full section of Gujarat’. This symbolizes the rebirth of the mother tongue within Bath’s subconscious mind. In addition, between lines 31 and 35, there are no erodes, replaced by commas. This section holds the imagery explained above, and periods would add unnecessary breaks. Similarly, “Half-caste” has no punctuations.

Together with the differing dialect, it shows the poet opposing his surroundings. This is a form of protest, since Agar is not following the general rules of writing set by his racist opponents. Therefore, both poets express cultural conflict with variations to syntax. When reading Search for My Tongue, a monolingual person would not be able to fully comprehend Bath’s cultural conflict, except when it is described physically. By allowing the reader to picture two tongues in their mouth, Bath’s internal conflicts are expressed externally, allowing her to share her pain with the world.

However, someone who is bilingual may have already experienced similar cultural conflicts. Therefore, this bilingual reader will understand “Search for My Tongue” much better than a regular monolingual reader. Similarly, “Half-caste,” is also geared towards two different types of people. A person who isn’t mixed will not be able to comprehend this poem as well as someone who is mixed. In addition, Half-Caste protests against discriminative English people. In a less discriminative culture such as Canada where the use of racial slurs like half-caste is scarce, it is much harder to comprehend Agar’s cultural conflicts.

Therefore, both Half-caste and Search for my Tongue are both good examples of how cultural context impacts how the poem is perceived. In conclusion, both poems are affected by cultural context, which dictates the effect on the reader. For example, as previously stated, a bilingual person will be able to comprehend Search for My Tongue better than a monolingual person. However, Strata Bath needs to ensure that the monolingual demographic will still be able to extract the full meaning.

Both Bath and Agar achieve this by employing very similar methods. The narrative, metaphors and personifications, vivid imagery and variations to syntax all contribute to expressing cultural conflict. Although the two poems have many commonalities, they are based on different subject matter. Search for My Tongue is about Beats internal conflict with herself, whereas Half-Caste is about Agar’s external conflict against his society. These conflicts differ, but are all linked to culture the overriding link between these entwining poems.

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IGCSE English Poetry: Search for my Tongue and Prayer Before Birth

IGCSE English Poetry: Search for my Tongue and Prayer Before Birth

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

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28 June 2021

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search for my tongue essay

Search for my Tongue by Sujata Bhatt and Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice

This is a colourful document in the form of a super clear grid that shows students how to compare the poems using the theme of identity. The grid can easily be used to write about other themes such as strong images or strong feelings.

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Comparing Search for my Tongue and Half-Caste

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Comparing “Search for my Tongue” and “Half-Caste”

The poems “Search for my Tongue” and “Half-Caste” both use style and language to reflect the meaning of the poems. “Search” is about a girl is afraid she is losing her native language of Indian, while “Half” is about a man is fed up of being called “half-caste” because he is of mixed race.

In “Search” another language is used – the poets mother tongue of Indian. The structure of the poem reflects how important the language is to the girl, as it is placed in the middle, to show it is central to her life. Although another language is used, the reader can still read the poem aloud due to the phonetic translations beneath the Indian script.

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On the other hand, it is not a foreign language that is used in “Half”, but a dialect. By combining his native Caribbean dialect with Standard English words, the poet is showing that it is also his accent he is discriminated against. There is no punctuation used in the poem to enable the reader to choose when to pause – this could results in different people reading the poem in different ways.

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I think that the style in which both poems are written conveys a journey with a positive ending. The girl in “Search” realises that her mother tongue is always with her, and the man in “Half” is welcoming the reader to come back for more if they do so open mindedly. Similarly, both poems start with a more negative beginning. “Search” uses words like “rot and “die”, while “Half” accuses the reader by asking them to “Explain yuself”.

The poet in “Half” has clearly had bad experiences in the past with racism, but is now channeling the hurt and anger he feels into a poem to express himself. He uses humour to get his point across in an entertaining way, which I think he hopes will make more people listen. The short, sharp sentences give the poem an effect of being accusing and fired out. He compares being mixed race to other things which have more than one colour – such as paintings and black and white piano keys. He reasons that these things aren’t treated a being any less important or special because of their different colours, so why should that be the case for a person?

The slight violence in “Search” is not directed at other people like in “Half”. If anything, it is directed at the girl herself, because she is angry that she has let her language slip from her mind. The poem uses imagery to good effect, comparing the tongue to a plant. The girl repeats plant related words throughout the poem, beginning with “rot”, moving onto “grows strong veins” and finishing with “blossoms”. As she gets more confident, the plant grows.

Likewise, repetition is also used in “Half”. The phrase “Explain yuself wha yu mean” is used several times. This gives the effect of the poet wanting to know what gives people the right to call him “half-caste”. He thinks it is unacceptable and wants an explanation.

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sydneyhopcroft

Level of analysis.

The Quality of Written Communication is fine. There is a very basic handling of the English language which suggests this candidate may struggle the clarity of their written expression, but it is clear to see they have tried to challenge themselves with the use of complex sentences contrasting simpler sentences and a sound use of punctuation. One small irk I have though is the standard format by which all English GCSE students are required to write the poems titles in is like so: 'Half-Caste' / 'Search For My Tongue'. It is not however, acceptable to see "Half" and "Search" as substitutes. The full name of the published work must be written, with all words in the title capitalised. Also, it is a good idea to learn to difference between what instances require inverted commas and which require quotation marks. The latter are use for just that, and should only be used when quoting from a person or source material. For published works such as book or poem titles, inverted commas but be used e.g. - 'Half-Caste'.

Response to question

This answer was written for a comparative task on the poems 'Half-Caste' by John Agard and 'Search For My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt. There are many incidents where the candidate makes erroneous remarks and does not follow analysis through to an extent that elicits as many marks as possible, but nonetheless the focus on the question is good. The candidate discusses in some depth the use of language, imagery and structure in order to answer the question, and each point comes with a well-sourced quotes from the poem to back up the candidates understanding. Though this answer has errors, it is clear to see this candidate has tried very hard to answer the question to the best of their ability. I would however, like to see more precise analysis given, drawing everything back to the proposed question and evidence of a more in-depth analysis with possible integration of contextual appreciation i.e. - the social and historical factors that influenced the writing of the poems (the candidate does this to an extent with regards to 'Half-Caste', but does not use this knowledge in their analysis; instead it is sort of "tagged on" the beginning).

Comparing Search for my Tongue and Half-Caste

Document Details

  • Word Count 521
  • Page Count 2
  • Subject English

Related Essays

`Compare Search for my tongue with Half-caste

`Compare Search for my tongue with Half-caste

Half Caste by Agard and Search for my tongue by Bhatt use non-standard English within their writing to portray strong messages.

Half Caste by Agard and Search for my tongue by Bhatt use non-standard Engl...

The poets of both half-Caste and Search for my Tongue put a strong emphasis on the importance of personal identity. They both use similar devices to portray their personal attitudes towards the topic.

The poets of both half-Caste and Search for my Tongue put a strong emphasis...

Present From My Aunt And Search For My Tongue Comparison

Present From My Aunt And Search For My Tongue Comparison

Search For My Tongue Essay

This sample essay on Search For My Tongue Essay offers an extensive list of facts and arguments related to it. The essay’s introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion are provided below.

From reading both of the poems I can see that both of the poems describe how they have either lost or are losing part of their identity. Identity can mean anything from our age, gender, race, personality, religion, social position, language or even personality. Identity is either what makes a person different from other people but some elements of your identity might make you the same as other people such as your nationality or religion.

Some of our identity can be set at birth and can’t be changed in anyway this could be race. Whereas other elements such as social position can continuously change throughout your life. Some changes in or identity we welcome and some we don’t. Both of these poems explore changes in their identity.

In Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan the young female is telling us how she is changing in the way that she lives and dresses whereas in Search for My Tongue the poet I telling us how she is losing her identity by the loss of her first language.

Search For My Tongue Summary

These two poems are laid out quiet differently, although they both use variable line length. In Presents from Pakistan the lines start all over the place and there is no certain point at which they have to start.

search for my tongue essay

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“ Amazing as always, gave her a week to finish a big assignment and came through way ahead of time. ”

In Search for My Tongue all the beginnings of the lines start at one place this is because the poem is left justified. This gives Search for My Tongues a stronger rhythm than it would have if it wasn’t left justified, whereas Present from my Aunts in Pakistan gives us a feeling that she is confused and doesn’t know where to start. I don’t feel as if either of the poems have a rhymes this is because they do not contain rhyming couplets or any rhythmic devices.

Presents from My Aunts In Pakistan seems to be much more like a conversation with either herself or with a close friend, but Search for My Tongue seems much more like a letter of complaint. In the case of Search fore My Tongue the poet uses her mother tongue and Cyrillic writing and English character in her language. This emphasises both of the tongues. In Presents form My Aunts in Pakistan she is often putting the adjective after the noun. This defers from the standard English language. In both of the poems there is lots of punctuation missing. Both of these poets don’t feel as if the punctuation is really important to emphasis the problems about their identity. Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan tells us where she comes from whereas Search for My Tongue don’t tell us where she came from and leaves it a mystery.

The words used in the poem Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan are more vibrant than words used in the poem Search for My tongue. This is intended to give you a mental image of the clothes and the place at which as is living in. In Search For My Tongue the words tend to be darker and angrier this is so we can understand how she is feeling. ‘ Your mother tongue would Rot, Rot and die in your mouth’ as you can see these words are powerful and meaningful this is show we draw attention to what she is saying.

Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan explores the theme of identity and places remembered, but Search For My Tongue explores the theme of identity through language and continues to use an extended metaphor throughout the poem by talking about a flower blossoming in her mouth when she is able to speak her mother tongue and explain how a flower dying in her mouth is what it feels like when she in un-able to speak with her mother tongue. Search for My Tongue uses cultural-specific words separate from the rest of the standard English used in the poem. This is to make sure that we pay more attention to the poem and try to understand why she has done it.

In Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan she uses the cultural-specific words all over the place as if she doesn’t know she is doing it and she expects you to know what the words mean already. An example of this would be Salwer Kameez which would mean nothing to a young English person but means a traditional garment to the people living in Pakistan. In the poem Search for My Tongue the words ‘Spit It’ is a slight use of assonance, but there is no other in this poem. There is a miner use of alliteration in Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan such as ‘ Satin-Silken’ and ‘Costume Clung’. This makes these words stand out from the rest catching out eye. Neither of these poems contain personification.

The feelings of the authors of the poems are similar in the way that they are sad about the loss of part of their identity. Search for My Tongue is asking the reader if she thinks they are to blame because she has lost part of her identity and isn’t who she once was . This comes across to me as if she is saying ” How would you like it if this had happened to you?”. She is very angry and doesn’t blame herself for what has happened to her.

The poem Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan is a much friendlier. It is like she is looking for help and is explaining her problem to us hoping that we can help her. Presents from my Aunts is explaining the situation. This means that all she is doing is talking to us but in Search for My Tongue is Telling us. This makes me feel as I am in trouble and that it is my fault for her identity problem. I feel as if the female writing Search for my Tongue is older than the poet who has written Presents From Aunts in Pakistan. This is due to the language used to write the poem and how the two poets express the way in which they feel about their situation.

Both of these poems were interesting and were enjoyable to read. With the poem Search for My Tongue I as able to empathise because I feel the same about me losing my Scottish accent. I feel as if Search for My Tongues has a stronger contrast out of the two poems this is due to the fact that I think the poet is a stronger person and is able to deal with her situation on her own whereas the poet for Present From My aunts in Pakistan is not able to cope with her situation on her own.

I felt as if Presents from My Aunts in Pakistan is easier for me to understand due to the language used in the poem. This is because the poet is a teenager like myself and I am able to see where she is coming from about having to were a piece of clothing which she is uncomfortable with. I can understand where Moniza Alvi is coming from because I feel I have the same problem with having to wear a school uniform even If I do not want to. These two poems made me think more about identity, I have learnt that identity can play an important part in our life and that we shouldn’t take it for granted because one day you may lose part of it and may never be able to regain it.

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Search For My Tongue Essay

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Search For My Tongue Essay (1318 words)

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Gayness interior hidden by the British exterior. Both poets express these cultural conflicts with the use of perspective, cultural context, literary devices, imagery and variations to syntax. The similarities in these poems show that cultural conflict is abundant and ubiquitous, whereas the differences provide uniqueness amongst the cultural conflicts. In Search for My Tongue, Beats poem encompasses the conflict between mother tongue and the foreign tongue. These very physical objects replace her native language of Guajarati and foreign language of English.

The use of this metaphorical analogy is widespread, such as in the French language, where the word langue means both tongue and language. According to Bath, if you had to/speak a foreign tongue,/your mother tongue would rot (10-12). The conflict between languages continues in the subconscious world, where the mother tongue always returns and blossoms out of my mouth (38). Similarly Half-Caste is also a conflict of cultures, specifically race. John Agar is a mixed race of black and white light an shadow (13). His life in Britain has allegedly suppressed his black, unwanted side.

This protest poem is the black side attempting o be freed Just as how Beats mother tongue wants to grow(s) back (31). Agar often describes himself as half a person, standing on one leg (2), Half-a-eye (41), half-a- dream (43), half-a-shadow, (46). Bath searches for her two tongue but only finds one. Contrastingly, Half-caste is a poem of external conflict between Agar and the disapproving English society, whereas Search For My Tongue is about self-discovery and internal conflict. In Search for My Tongue, lines between 1 and 14 are all in the 2nd person, which connects the poem to the reader.

It is more dramatic and heartfelt Han a narrative. Beats internal conflicts are voiced out to the world, searching for an answer to the question I ask you, what would you do (3). Half-caste uses the exact same strategy in order to achieve a different goal. The 2nd person narrative is installed between lines 4 and 37. He uses phrases like Explain housefly/whoa you mean (4-5), which directly targets the discriminating British (you need proof of that from his poem) you put the on metaphor with the sun don’t pass in England society, it fits really well here .

External conflicts between Agar and the society are immediately voiced. Both poems employ the perspective of the it is not 2nd person , JUDD told me that on Search for my tongue sits connect with the reader, but one does it to apply the internal conflicts to the outside world whereas the other does it to be heard. Bath brings out her internal conflicts so that she can connect with the reader. In Search for My Tongue, many literary devices are used to bring out these internal conflicts. Her metaphorical tongues actually symbolize languages. She often changes between the ambiguous meanings.

For example, she states that if you had two ensues in your mouth,/and lost the first one, the mother tongue, (4-5). Bath is giving supernatural qualities to the physical tongue. In an another example, she states that your mother tongue would rot,/rot and die in your mouth (12-13). In this case, Bath is creating personifications by giving lifelike, natural properties to a language. This shows how Bath is switching between the multiple meanings. In Half-caste, Agar also draws on multiple examples. Contrastingly, he uses allusions or references to external literary works. The two apparent allusions are Picasso and Tchaikovsky.

Put the lines Both of these artists use contrasts to create a greater piece of work. According to Agar, a mixed person is a living example of beauty derived from two contrasting cultures. Although the meaning of these allusions is not ambiguous, they are often sarcastic and direct. The differences in the use of literary devices have to do with the fact that Bath is unclear about her cultural conflict, whereas Agar understands his cultural conflict. Both poets use the literary device of repetition to express cultural conflict. For example, in “Search for My Tongue,” the words tongue and mouth are very abundant.

The word “tongue” ends lines 2, 5, 7, 11 and 37. The word “mouth” ends lines 4, 13, 34 and 38. Not only does the repetition bring the poem together, it strengthens the message Bath is trying to send. It resembles a distress signal from a person with dire need. Similarly, John Agar repeats the phrase “Explain housefly” in lines 4, 10, 23 and 31 . This reminds the reader of the aggressive tone in this rebellious poem, and ties the poem together. Every time a new idea is brought up, “Explain housefly” is the introductory line. Another way the poets attempt to describe cultural conflict is by the use of imagery.

At the end of the poem, Strata Bath writes “It grows back, a stump of a shoot” (31). This is a metaphor, comparing the mother language to a growing bamboo. The metaphor adds to the clear imagery. Continuing,Grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins,alt ties the other tongue in knots,The bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth,alt pushes the other tongue aside. (32-35)These lines paint a very explicit picture in the reader’s mind, helping the poet come across with the meaning. Similarly, John Agar also appeals to the many senses. The “red an green” (8) on the “canvas” (9) feed on the human sense of sight.

The “black key” (28) and “white key” (29) in the “symphony” (30) by “Tchaikovsky” (26) affect the human sense of hearing. Together, it allows the reader to fully experience the idea of “Half- Caste. “Finally, both poets use a strange form of syntax. In “Search for My Tongue,” Bath adds a full section of Gujarat’. This symbolizes the rebirth of the mother tongue within Bath’s subconscious mind. In addition, between lines 31 and 35, there are no erodes, replaced by commas. This section holds the imagery explained above, and periods would add unnecessary breaks. Similarly, “Half-caste” has no punctuations.

Together with the differing dialect, it shows the poet opposing his surroundings. This is a form of protest, since Agar is not following the general rules of writing set by his racist opponents. Therefore, both poets express cultural conflict with variations to syntax. When reading Search for My Tongue, a monolingual person would not be able to fully comprehend Bath’s cultural conflict, except when it is described physically. By allowing the reader to picture two tongues in their mouth, Bath’s internal conflicts are expressed externally, allowing her to share her pain with the world.

However, someone who is bilingual may have already experienced similar cultural conflicts. Therefore, this bilingual reader will understand “Search for My Tongue” much better than a regular monolingual reader. Similarly, “Half-caste,” is also geared towards two different types of people. A person who isn’t mixed will not be able to comprehend this poem as well as someone who is mixed. In addition, Half-Caste protests against discriminative English people. In a less discriminative culture such as Canada where the use of racial slurs like half-caste is scarce, it is much harder to comprehend Agar’s cultural conflicts.

Therefore, both Half-caste and Search for my Tongue are both good examples of how cultural context impacts how the poem is perceived. In conclusion, both poems are affected by cultural context, which dictates the effect on the reader. For example, as previously stated, a bilingual person will be able to comprehend Search for My Tongue better than a monolingual person. However, Strata Bath needs to ensure that the monolingual demographic will still be able to extract the full meaning.

Both Bath and Agar achieve this by employing very similar methods. The narrative, metaphors and personifications, vivid imagery and variations to syntax all contribute to expressing cultural conflict. Although the two poems have many commonalities, they are based on different subject matter. Search for My Tongue is about Beats internal conflict with herself, whereas Half-Caste is about Agar’s external conflict against his society. These conflicts differ, but are all linked to culture the overriding link between these entwining poems.

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IMAGES

  1. Search for My Tongue by Sujata Bhatt

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  2. 🌱 Search for my tongue essay. Search For My Tongue. 2022-10-27

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  3. Search for my tongue essay. Analysis of Search for my Tongue by Sujata Bhatt Essay Example. 2022

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  4. Search for my Tongue.

    search for my tongue essay

  5. Poetry Analysis: ‘Search for my Tongue’ by Sujata Bhatt

    search for my tongue essay

  6. Search for my tongue essay. Analysis of Search for my Tongue by Sujata Bhatt Essay Example. 2022

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VIDEO

  1. Speaking in my native tongue

  2. 🍬Today, my tongue tasted tongue candy!Which one is my tongue?🤨 #snacks #candy #fruit #yummy #funny

  3. I'm cleaning my tongue 🕹️🖲️📸#lifehacks #hack #beauty

  4. My tongue was stuck

  5. HavinMotion

COMMENTS

  1. Search For My Tongue

    She fears it might rot and die. The poem tells us of how she then dreams about her mother tongue returning as she sleeps: blossoming, growing back. It reflects the idea that our language is our identity. The poem shows the importance of identity in different ways.

  2. Search For My Tongue Poem Summary and Analysis

    "Search for My Tongue" combines English and Gujarati, Bhatt's native language, as it explores what it is like to be an immigrant in a new culture, the pressures of assimilation, and the relationship between language and identity. "Search for My Tongue" was first published in 1988, as part of Bhatt's first collection of poems, Brunizem.

  3. Search for My Tongue by Sujata Bhatt

    Structure and Form. 'Search for My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt is a three-stanza poem that is split between English and Gujarati, the speaker's native language. The first and last stanzas are in English, and the middle stanza is in Gujarati. The first contains sixteen lines, the second: eight, and the third: eight.

  4. Analysis Of "Search For My Tongue" By Sujata Bhatt

    'Search for My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt is a poem about the feelings and experiences that an individual may encounter when they move to a foreign country, significantly different from their home country and cultural background.

  5. Sujata Bhatt 'Search for My Tongue'

    Here's a comprehensive study guide for the poem 'Search for My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt - perfect for teaching or revision. Suitable for students at higher levels (KS3 and beyond), including those studying Edexcel IGCSE Literature. This digital pdf, printable pdf, powerpoint (ppt) + worksheet poem resource includes: VOCABULARY STORY / SUMMARY

  6. Sujata Bhatt

    13 Contributors Search For My Tongue Lyrics You ask me what I mean by saying I have lost my tongue. I ask you, what would you do if you had two tongues in your mouth, and lost the first one,...

  7. Search for My Tongue

    Search for My Tongue. " Search for My Tongue " is a poem by Sujata Bhatt. [1] The poem is studied in England as part of the AQA Anthology. [2] "I have always thought of myself as an Indian who is outside India", the poet has said in an interview, stating that her language is the deepest layer of her identity. [3]

  8. Search For My Tongue (Sujata Bhatt)

    Search For My Tongue (Sujata Bhatt) by saying I have lost my tongue. the foreign tongue. even if you thought that way. until you had to spit it out. it pushes the other tongue aside. it blossoms out of my mouth. You ask me what I mean by saying I have lost my tongue. I ask you, what would you do if you had two tongues in your mouth, and lost ...

  9. Anaylis of Search for my Tongue

    "Search for my Tongue" is a poem about speaking a foreign language, and living in a foreign country, for a long period of time. It talks about losing the "mother tongue," and this being a bad thing. There are many ways of expressing this. In the first stanza, there is a lot of mention of "the mother tongue" and "the foreign tongue."

  10. The Use of Imagery in Search for my Tongue and Blessing

    The poem Search for my tongue is about how a student from America believes she has lost her first language because she has been speaking English since she was small. The poem asks us in the first section what would we do if we had two languages and lived in a place where we would have to speak the foreign language?

  11. IGCSE English Lit: Poetry Comparison

    'Search for my tongue' directly addresses the reader in a firm and authoritative, almost commanding manner using strong language, you can immediately tell the poet is in search for her identity. Agard's poem opens strongly, however, rather politely, this contrasts with the authoritative manner used by Bhatt 'excuse me I am standing on one leg'.

  12. Analysis of "Search for My Tongue" by Sujata Bhatt

    'Search for My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt is a poem about the feelings and experiences that an individual may encounter when they move to a foreign country, significantly different from their home country and cultural background.

  13. Search for my Tongue Poem by Sujata Bhatt Summary ...

    "Search for My Tongue" examines what it's like to be an immigrant in a new society, the demands of assimilation, and the connection between language and identity while combining English and Gujarati. The poem "Search for My Tongue" was initially released in 1988 as a part of Brunizem, Bhatt's first poetry collection.

  14. Comparative Essay for Poetry Unit: "Search for My Tongue"

    In Search for My Tongue, Beats poem encompasses the conflict between mother tongue and the foreign tongue. These very physical objects replace her native language of Guajarati and foreign language of English. The use of this metaphorical analogy is widespread, such as in the French language, where the word langue means both tongue and language.

  15. Explore the poets search for identity in 'Search For My Tongue

    An extract from 'Search For My Tongue' Sujata Bhatt, An extract from 'Unrelated Incidents' Tom Leonard, 'Half-Caste' John Agard. 'Search For My Tongue' Sujata Bhatt. Search for my tongue is a poem about a women who is afraid of losing her native language which is a part if her culture.

  16. "Hurricane Hits England" and "Search For My Tongue"

    In "Hurricane Hits England", the poet uses the method of flashbacks to explore the theme, whereas "Search For My Tongue" approaches this theme by putting us in the author's shoes. In "Hurricane Hits England", the subject matter is based around the serious hurricane that hit Southern England 1987. Don't use plagiarized sources.

  17. IGCSE English Poetry: Search for my Tongue and Prayer Before Birth

    File previews. docx, 4.76 MB. Search for my Tongue by Sujata Bhatt and Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice. This is a colourful document in the form of a super clear grid that shows students how to compare the poems using the theme of identity. The grid can easily be used to write about other themes such as strong images or strong feelings.

  18. PDF Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Literature

    2 Re-read Search For My Tongue and Half-caste. Compare the ways the writers convey feelings about identity in Search For My Tongue and Half-caste. You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems. (Total for Question 2 = 30 marks) OR 3 Re-read Hide and Seek.

  19. Analysis Of Search For My Tongue By Sujata Bhatt

    The poem, "Search for My Tongue", by Sujata Bhatt and Amy Tan's essay, Mother Tongue, explore the broad theme of language and identity. Specifically, both authors probe deeper into the relation between language and identity to explain their importance despite the social factors that impact their value. As a result, I was able to analyze ...

  20. Search For My Tongue 'And Half Caste' By Sujata Bhatt

    The poems 'Half Caste' by John Agard and 'Search for my tongue' by Sujata Bhatt main purpose is to entertain the reader but both poems also do explore a much deeper theme of how identity is important when the two different cultures come together. The poets deal with this theme in a number of different ways. For example Bhatt's ...

  21. Comparing Search for my Tongue and Half-Caste

    GCSE English. Comparing "Search for my Tongue" and "Half-Caste". The poems "Search for my Tongue" and "Half-Caste" both use style and language to reflect the meaning of the poems. "Search" is about a girl is afraid she is losing her native language of Indian, while "Half" is about a man is fed up of being called "half ...

  22. Search For My Tongue Essay Free Essay Example

    Search For My Tongue Essay Topics: Culture English Language Language Poetry Rhyme Download Essay, Pages 6 (1295 words) Views 151 This sample essay on Search For My Tongue Essay offers an extensive list of facts and arguments related to it. The essay's introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion are provided below.

  23. Search For My Tongue Essay (1318 words)

    Get help on 【 Search For My Tongue Essay (1318 words) 】 on Artscolumbia Huge assortment of FREE essays & assignments The best writers! Get help now Essay Samples Back About Me American Dream Art Business Culture Economics Education Social Issues History Literature Nature And Ecology Philosophy Psychology Relationship Religion Science Sport