Imagine moving to a foreign country abroad and not knowing your way around. You need a guide with directions, but you don't speak the language of the country. Wouldn't you feel lost? Clueless? Maybe excluded? This is what author Amy Tan, in “Mother Tongue,” wanted readers to feel. Tan believes that one's language is a barrier to success in daily life. Many Americans speak English as their first language, but I believe no two individuals speak the same English. This is also what Amy Tan reinforces in her story. She uses her writing skills throughout her essay to convey to readers the difficulties she and her mother had, as non-Native Americans, with the language in their daily lives. In my opinion, how much English you know affects your ability to communicate effectively, your cultural identity, and your ability to take on new opportunities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayAmy Tan and her mother are Asian American immigrants from Shanghai, China. They had to assimilate and adapt to American culture with little knowledge of English. It wasn't easy to adapt to the new environment, especially having to learn and speak English. It was especially difficult for Amy, as stated in her essay, “when I was growing up, my mother's “limited” English limited my perception of her.” Tan's mother's “limited” English influenced Tan's childhood growth. Because English was not her mother's first language, she was often treated with inferiority by others due to her literacy, which led to a lack of confidence in her English. The author exemplifies the abused mother in her story. He mentions an incident where his mother contacted a hospital to receive copies of CAT scans to understand her diagnosis. Despite her pleas, the hospital did not apologize for losing her scans. When Amy called them, without an accent, they seemed to cooperate and apologize for their mistakes. Amy was often her mother's right hand when it came to performing daily tasks related to the English language. For example, Tan explains that when she was fifteen, her mother "made me call people on the phone to pretend to be her." This incident is a clear example of how a person's tongue barricades the ability to perform such simple tasks. Language influences an individual's opportunities and success. Tan's English language was influenced and shaped by his mother's language. “The language spoken in the family, especially in immigrant families... plays an important role in the formation of the child's language”. The language is spoken by individuals from immigrant families who shape their identity. Although Tan's English was acceptable and considered “not poor,” as he stated, he still struggled in school. This was especially evident in English classes, where he recalled that his language affected his ability to take IQ tests, achievement tests, and the SAT. Because she didn't speak English regularly at home and her mother wasn't someone she could ask for help with her English homework, Tan struggled with the grammar and structure of her English lessons. In terms of grammatical questions, it was “always a judgment call” or a “matter of opinion,” as Tan put it. The language spoken at home influenced his ability to perform in English class. Even though English was not Tan's strongest subject, she still tried to learn advanced English to become a writer. There were people who.