Sometimes we have preconceived judgments about people without even realizing it. As shallow as it may sound, most of us have a hard time accepting people that are different from us. Amy Tan conveys this clearly in her work “Mother Tongue” in which she talks about how her mother’s poor English skills affected people’s treatment of her. Amy Tan’s message is pretty simple: the fact that someone may not speak our language doesn’t make them any less intelligent. Thinking of someone differently because they cannot speak our language is something we do without even realizing it. In a touching manner, “Mother Tongue” attempts to prove to us that we are all the same. Amy Tan states that a person can have their rough areas -things that are not exactly considered their talents- and be just as bright and creative as someone who excels in those same areas. Where we come from, what we’re good at, what we’re not good at, our past, our culture, or our language should not define a person.
Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. –Albert Einstein
