Language serves as both a tool for a unification and as a means for separation. The relationships between different identities associated with language and dialects often fail to mix seamlessly, as discussed in Barbara Mellix’s piece examined in class. This leads to a confusion of identity due to the constant need to change oneself in order to fit the impossible standards set by society for that particular environment. Instead of examining the segregated nature of language identities, Min-Zhan Lu explores the areas where these language identities interact and intersect in “From Silence to Words: Writing as Struggle.” Lu discusses how language ties into education, class, and personal identity in ways which overlap and change over time.
Growing up “as a student in China,” Lu was quick to notice the differences between her identities categorized by the languages she used for each (437). She spoke English with her immediate family and tutor, “Shanghai dialect only with the servants,” and Standard Chinese at school (438). Despite the difference in language, Lu had little difficulty flipping between identities. Instead of feeling as though she was losing a piece of herself each time she was forced to speak differently, Lu discovered an overlap in language identities. Lu’s life sits at the intersection of language and culture. Instead of a wall separating her identities, Lu’s life is more of an intersection where all of her experiences meet and interact. She explains how what she learned in her English lessons “seemed to enhance and reinforce what [Lu] was learning” while in the classroom (439). This demonstrates the link between languages, which is not always obvious at first. Though English and Chinese differ heavily from each other, both having different roots and alphabets, the two languages are undeniably woven together. As Lu explains, “red” in Chinese and in English “[correspond] to the patch of color printed next to the world” (439). Although the two languages certainly look and sound different, the core ideas are shared. The color red is called something different in different languages, yet the color remains the same. Yet again, the languages are able to intersect and coexist instead of directly contradicting each other.
As she continued to grow, Min-Zhan Lu’s connections between her different language identities became more complicated. During this period of time, China was politically and socially uneasy. English was labelled as the language of the enemy due to tensions between the Chinese and the “American and British Imperialists” (439). The animosity between the countries lead to English being labelled as a language of the enemy for a period of time. At the same time, Lu picked up a new language, one made up of definitions taught in school. For Lu, “red” was no longer just a color. In school, “red” became “Revolution at school, ‘the Commies’ at home, and adultery in The Scarlet Letter” (441). The culture surrounding Lu resulted in a simple word carrying a variety of meanings in all of the languages making up her identity. However, despite the difference in secondary meanings, the word “red” and all of its translations still describes the same color. So despite the differences in culture, despite the differences in language, Lu’s identities were still entangled with one another, even if the threads became a bit mangled and distorted.
Though Lu’s relationship with language and identity is complicated, especially in regards to her education, family, and personal identity, there is an undeniable intersection where all of these elements mix. Language is not as simple as different sections with rigid borders between different languages. Instead, there is a special fluidity demonstrated by Lu and her identities which connects people.
E367: Writing and Diversity 