Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora
15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora
Reviewed by: Allisa, Matthew, Phuong, Emily D., Emily F.
Review:
Trigger Warning: This
book contains mentions of suicide ideation and alcoholism.
Saraciea J. Fennell’s
anthology, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora,
investigates and amplifies the stories of Black, Indigenous, and Central
American voices often silenced in the Latinx community. Including voices from
15 Latinx individuals, Fennell presents experiences spanning from growing up in
and out of Latinidad to silencing mental health issues in the Latinx
community. Fennell highlights the damage
caused by colorism and willful ignorance both within and outside the Latinx
community and, more importantly, ties these stories together by facing the
myths and stereotypes present in the monolithic discussion of the Latinx
diaspora. By presenting the struggles in identity formation and acceptance in
the Latinx community, Fennell succeeds in exploring the Latinx experience from
the often-marginalized perspective of Black and Indigenous Latinx peoples.
As the title states,
this anthology provides the platform to give a voice to the underrepresented
sons and daughters of the Latinx diaspora as they navigate their complex
relationships with Latinx identity. Each writer’s account provides a personal
look into their experiences with language loss, mental health, anti-Blackness,
and seeking acceptance in the American Latinx community. Mark Oshiro’s “Eres Un
Pocho'' describes his experience as a young boy with his adoptive parents that
“do not make sense” (3). His experience describes his perspective of being a
Mexican boy who doesn’t know Spanish, having been raised in Idaho, as he
grapples with how he is not accepted by his parents for being brown but is not
accepted in his Spanish Catholic church for being gay. In another work, Lilliam
Rivera tackles the practice of religion as the only form of therapy in “More than
Nervios.” In this account, Rivera does not stray away from describing the
entirety of her thought process as she recalls her suicide attempt. By
repeating the question, “How many will I need?” (157), Rivera mimics how
this belief permeates much of the Latinx community. In “Alaiyo,” Jasminne
Mendez’s three-act account of anti-Blackness in theatre, Mendez discusses the
opportunities taken from her because of her appearance and details her journey
to finding acceptance within herself no longer being afraid to take space. In
Fennell’s own account, “Half In, Half Out,” she leaves the reader with the
final thought, “Only we can tell the world who we are, but first, we must learn
where we come from” (87). With this statement, Fennell describes an authority
over one’s own identity, no longer being at the mercy of what others believe
you are, but instead having the ability to reclaim that as your own.
Through the use of a wide range of ages, genders, and topics, this
anthology becomes a necessary celebration and appreciation of the diversity
within the Latinx community, subverting the stereotype of there being “only one
way” to be Latinx. These accounts serve to highlight the realities of the
Latinx diaspora and provide examples of the joys and sorrows of Black and Indigenous
Latinx people, which are often overlooked in representations of
Latinidad.
Biography:
Saraciea J. Fennell is a Black Honduran editor, publicist, and literary activist working and living in New York City. She is the founder of The Bronx is Reading Festival, a festival that cultivates and promotes literacy and a love for reading, specifically highlighting topics central to the Bronx community and working alongside writers like Elizabeth Acevedo. She also created the Honduran Garifuna Writers group that features writers of Honduran, Garifuna, and Central American descent and their work. She currently sits on the board for Latinx in Publishing and the Advisory Board of People of Color in Publishing. Fennell’s work includes poetry, articles, and the anthology, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora. Growing up, Fennell recalls having nowhere to turn to for stories regarding Afro-Latinidad and could never find experiences she related to reflected in the stories that were published about Latinx people. Thus, much of her work focuses on the visibility and celebration of Black, Indigenous, and Central American stories that are usually not presented in the Latinx canon. Her activism does not stop in her published works, as she is active on her website (saracieafennell.com), Instagram, and Twitter, highlighting Afro-Latinx and Latinx writers. In her own words, this anthology and social media presence provide the platform to “subvert a lot of the stereotypes and myths that take place in our own community, but at the same time for us to take control over our own stories” (Fennell). Her published articles also work to uplift other POC works, like Loan Le’s A Pho Love Story and Jackie Wang’s The Sunflower Cast a Spell to Save Us from the Wind. Overall, Fennell’s goal is to create space for writers from historically marginalized and misrepresented groups to create a more diverse and inclusive Latinx narrative.
.jpg) |
| Editor: Saraciea J. Fennell |
Instructional Resources:
Authors:
- Saraciea Fennell discusses "Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed"
with contributors: Saraciea Fennell discusses "Wild
Tongues Can’t Be Tamed" with contributors
This video is a
conversation between Saraciea Fennell, Mark Oshiro, Lilliam Rivera, and Ingrid
Rojas Contreras. They discuss their writing processes and the challenges and
joys of writing and sharing their voice. This is a longer video but a great
resource for students to listen to the authors of the book and have an engaging
conversation with each other. Each author talks more in-depth about their
chapters in the book. This would be a great video for students to watch before
reading the book as an introduction to the anthology and the authors.
Stylistic Devices:
- 65 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples, and Exercises:
65 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples, and Exercises
This is an immensely
comprehensive list of stylistic devices. The list covers over 65 different
devices, and each entry includes a short definition, example, and practice
exercise. The article also divides up the devices by the most common devices in
prose and poetry. This is a wonderful resource for students to use to refresh
their understanding of common stylistic devices and discover new devices. Teachers should show students this resource before they even
begin the assignment and embark upon reading the book.
Personal Narrative:
- How to Write a Personal Narrative: Steps and
Examples: Telling the Story of Yourself: A Step-by-Step Guide
to Personal Narratives
This webpage offers six
great tips for students to learn how to write a personal story. Some of the
tips include showing, not telling, and paying attention to tenses. This is a
great resource to show students before they begin writing their personal
narrative, and it can help them by giving them a clear idea of ways to craft
their narrative.
Spoken word/poetry
- How to Write Spoken Word Poetry with Elizabeth Acevedo:
How to Write Spoken Word Poetry with Elizabeth Acevedo
This seven-minute video consists of author Elizabeth Acevedo, who wrote the chapter “A Mi Orden: A Meditation on Dichos,” offering advice on writing and performing a poem. She gives great advice to young writers on perfecting their poems, like working through many drafts and incorporating writing exercises in their writing process. She also gives a wonderful performance of a poem that students can watch to see the techniques of performing to an audience. This video should be shown to students before they begin the spoken word poetry assignment.
- Elizabeth Acevedo - "Hair": Elizabeth
Acevedo - "Hair"
Elizabeth Acevedo
performs her poem “Hair” to a lively audience. This is a great video to show
students because Acevedo is very animated in her performance: she moves her
arms in response to the poem, stands up straight, and speaks loudly and clearly
for the audience.
- Julian Randall - Button Poetry: Julian
Randall – “6 Biracial Metaphors”
This is a six-minute
spoken word poem by Julian Randall, who wrote the chapter “#Julian4Spiderman.”
This is a great video to show students for two reasons: it offers another way
that students can perform their poems that is more muted yet still forceful. It
also is a great example of incorporating personal experience with social and
political issues, like the struggles of being biracial and encountering racial
stereotypes. This would also be a good example to show during the social and
political narrative essay section.
- Texas Salsa Congress Jasminne Mendez 2017:
Texas Salsa Congress Jasminne Mendez 2017
Mendez, who wrote the
chapter “Abuela’s Greatest Gift” performs her poem “A Foundation Lost in
Translation.” What is great about her performance is that she includes a lot of
rich imagery about her home. Her performance is unique because she incorporates
singing into her poem.
Historical Context / Geography
- Latin American Countries - WorldAtlas:
Latin American Countries
This is an expansive
detailing of the Latin American countries, some of which were mentioned in the
novel as the native homeland for many. It is important to know that these
countries have unique cultures that differ vastly from American ones that
the narrators and their families have to assimilate into.
- North America Map / Map of North America - Facts,
Geography, History of North America - Worldatlas.com: North
America Information
This is a webpage explaining the history and details of North America. It includes its geography, national facts, travel information, and more. Using this webpage allows students to understand the context that these narrators are living in, and the differences in geography and culture add further to their knowledge of a new living situation.
Instructional Activity:
Preview:
This activity is best for high school students and should be
completed either after the book is finished. In this activity, students will
practice their reading, writing, and speaking skills by crafting four original
personal essays that follow the stylistic conventions of various chapters in Wild
Tongues Can’t Be Tamed. The stories in this book can be loosely divided
into three but often overlapping categories: personal narratives/memoirs,
narratives that weave in current political or social issues with personal
experiences, and poetry/spoken word pieces that are meant to be read out loud
or shared. Students will write one personal essay, one essay that deals with a
current social or political issue that is relevant to the student, and a spoken
word poem. By doing this instructional activity, students will learn both the
stylistic devices of the authors and how to implement these devices into their
own writing.
Common Core State Standards
Reading Standards for Literature
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Speaking and Listening Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically (using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation) such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose (e.g., argument, narrative, informative, response to literature presentations), audience, and task. CA Plan, memorize, and present a recitation (e.g., poem, selection from a speech, or dramatic soliloquy) that: conveys the meaning of the selection and includes appropriate performance techniques (e.g., tone, rate, voice modulation) to achieve the desired aesthetic effect. (9th or 10th grade) CA
Writing Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.A
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a
problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of
view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression
of experiences or events.
Resources and Preparation:
Before the assignment:
For this assignment, students will need to complete reading the entire book and fill out their responses in the Wild Tongues Reading Journal Worksheets, which is provided here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h1KTmP3Vq4KJ6MTxlWl94GJVdu7sm6HmyiGkvT_9gDI/edit?usp=sharing.
Students should also become familiar with the resources that
give many different examples of stylistic devices, as this will help them to
identify similar devices within the book chapters. There is also a great video
of the four authors discussing their writing process for this anthology, which
introduces the book’s themes and ideas.
During the assignment:
During the personal narrative or social and political issue essay
sections, have students check out the above website that offers six tips for
writing personal stories.
During the spoken word poetry section of the activity, the
instructor should first show them the video of Elizabeth Acevedo giving tips on
how to write and perform spoken word poetry. Next, show students the three videos
of our book’s authors performing poetry to an audience.
Instructional Plan:
Step 1: Finish reading Wild Tongues Can’t be Tamed. Have students annotate in the margins of the book and fill out the journal worksheet for every chapter as they read along: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h1KTmP3Vq4KJ6MTxlWl94GJVdu7sm6HmyiGkvT_9gDI/edit?usp=sharing
Step 2: After students finish reading the entire book, they are ready to begin the activity. Start by explaining how like the authors in the book, each student will get a chance to share their voice and craft their own narratives.
Step 3: The first assignment that the students will complete is the personal narrative. Tell students to look back at their journal entries and note which of the personal story chapters were their favorite. Have the students pick their favorite personal chapter and then reread the chapter again, focusing solely on the stylistic devices the author uses to express the theme. Make sure each student notes at least three stylistic devices.
Step 4: Now, allow each student to write their own personal narrative based on the chapter they chose. Students are encouraged to use the personal narrative prompts for assistance but are more than welcome to create their own writing prompt idea as long as it is approved by a teacher. It should be at least 3 pages, but students are encouraged to go over it. The requirements for the personal narrative are:
- Be 3-5 pages long
- Include the name of the source chapter from the book that will serve as inspiration; this chapter must be thoroughly annotated to understand how the author used stylistic devices to further their point.
- Include three stylistic devices implemented throughout the paper; EX) imagery, symbolism, repetition, etc.
- Have a central theme
- Include a separate 5-7 sentence paragraph on a separate page that describes how the student used stylistic devices and emulated the original chapter
Step 5: Next, students may craft a personal narrative that deals with a specific social or political issue that relates to their lives. These issues can include mental health, income inequality, racial injustice, or gender inequality. The difference with this narrative is similar to the chapters in the book, and students must incorporate two outside sources. The requirements for this assignment are:
- Be 3-5 pages long
- Include the name of the source chapter from the book that will serve as inspiration; this chapter must be thoroughly annotated to understand how the author used stylistic devices to further their point.
- Include three stylistic devices implemented throughout the paper; EX) imagery, symbolism, repetition, etc.
- Have a central theme related to a modern social or political issue that the student personal related to
- Include at least 2 outside sources, like a news article, scholarly article, or data.
- Include a separate 5-7 sentence paragraph that describes how the student used stylistic devices and emulated the original chapter
Step 6: The last assignment is a spoken word poem. While there is only one instance of a poem within the book, many of the authors are poets, like Julian Randall, Jasminne Mendez, and Elizabeth Acevedo. Students will not only craft a poem that emulates one of the author’s written styles, but they should also note how each author performs their poems to a crowd. In order to prepare for this final assignment, take a day to have students watch the three video performances of the poets. As they watch, have students take notes on the ways each poet performs their work and share these observations with the class.
Step 7: Students can now begin writing their spoken word poem. The requirements for this assignment include:
- Be at least half a page long or under 5 minutes to present
- Include a source chapter/poem from the book or an author we have read that will serve as inspiration; this chapter/poem must be thoroughly annotated to understand how the author used stylistic devices to further their point.
- Include two stylistic devices implemented throughout the paper; EX) imagery, symbolism, repetition, etc.
- Have a central theme
- Include a separate 5-7 sentence paragraph that describes how the student used stylistic devices and emulated the original chapter
Students should be strongly encouraged to perform this poem in front of the class, but this will not be a requirement.
Step 8: Allow time for the students who wish to present their
spoken word poems to perform in front of the class.
Bibliography
“Elizabeth Acevedo- ‘Hair’.” Youtube, uploaded by SlamFind,
2 Jul. 2014,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0svS78Nw_yY.
Fennell, Saraciea J., editor. Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed.
Flatiron Books, 2021.
Fennell, Saraciea J. Saraciea
J. Fennell, 2018, https://www.saracieafennell.com/. Accessed 1
May 2022.
Fennell, Saraciea J.
@sj_fennell, https://www.instagram.com/sj_fennell/?hl=en. Accessed 10
May 2022.
Glatch, Sean. “65 Common Literary Devices: Definitions, Examples,
and Exercises.”
Writers.com, 22 Sept. 2020, https://writers.com/common-literary-devices.
“How to Write Spoken Word Poetry with Elizabeth Acevedo.” Youtube,
uploaded by
EpicReads, 1 Apr. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgPWukdCyng.
Honduran Garifuna Writers. @hondurangarifunawriters,
https://www.instagram.com/hondurangarifunawriters/?hl=en. Accessed 10 May 2022.
“Julian Randall- 6 Biracial Metaphors.” Youtube, uploaded
by Button Poetry, 6 May 2018,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jOy_DacSHM.
“North America Map/ Map of North America.” WorldAtlas,
https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/na.htm.
“Saraciea Fennell discuss ‘Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed’ with contributors.”
Youtube,
uploaded by VromansBookstore, 18 Nov. 2021,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOhYosTrS9c.
Shvili, Jason. “Latin American Countries.” WorldAtlas, 10
May 2021,
https://www.worldatlas.com/geography/latin-american-countries.html.
“Texas Salsa Congress Jasminne Mendez 2017.” Youtube,
uploaded by Texas Salsa
Congress, 12 Nov. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sUmrIrnS-A&t=3s.
The Bronx is Reading. @thebronxisreading,
https://www.instagram.com/thebronxisreading/?hl=en. Accessed 10 May 2022.
Xue, Jennifer. “Telling the Story of Yourself: A Step-by-Step
Guide to Personal Narratives.”
ProWritingAid.com, 13 Aug. 2020,
https://prowritin.gaid.com/art/1398/writing-personal-narratives-and-distinguished-exam
