Question

Read the excerpts from “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry” and “Speaking Arabic.”

My friend had concluded that if he took his language and culture out of his poetry, he stood a better chance of receiving a fellowship. He took out his native language, the poetic patois of our reality, the rich mixture of Spanish, English, pachuco and street talk which we know so well. In other words, he took the tortillas out of his poetry, which is to say he took the soul out of his poetry.

At a neighborhood fair in Texas, somewhere between the German Oom-pah Sausage Stand and the Mexican Gorditas booth, I overheard a young man say to his friend, “I wish I had a heritage. Sometimes I feel—so lonely for one.” And the tall American trees were dangling their thick branches right down over his head.

Which best states how the structures of both excerpts support ideas about cultural diversity?
Each incorporates non-English words.

Each incorporates academic words.

Each incorporates offensive words.

Each incorporates nonsense words.

Answer 1

The correct answer is A.

The excerpt  from “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry” includes words in Spanish, such as "pachuco" and "tortillas."

And the exceprt from "Speaking Arabic" includes the German term "Oom-pah" a term associated with Volkstümliche Musik -a form of popular German music- and with polka; and the Spanish word "gorditas."

Answer 2

Each author uses non-English words and figurative language.  

Further Explanation:

In the first excerpt, it seems that the author deduces that his literary style and methods of writing poetry will receive acclaim and he shall be awarded a fellowship if he would remove the native elements within his poetry. However, he perhaps did not appreciate the literary richness of his native language, which made the soul of his poem. True it is that poetry that is devoid of native cultural elements does not connect with the local population, and poetry should reflect an individual’s inner feelings. The poet here has a mixed Spanish and English heritage, which he wishes to remove from his poetry. Thus the author narrowly critiques his actions by saying that it was like removing the soul from the poem.

In the second paragraph, there is an instance of a young man who yearns to have citizenship, an identity, as he believes he has none. The emphasis of the ‘tall American trees’ is suggestive of the fact that the young man wishes to be incorporated within the larger fold of the American society, and thus, get accepted as an American citizen.

The two passages reflect a type of contrast. In the first instance, the poet wishes to get a fellowship for his poem by rejecting the indigenous cultural elements of his native culture. It seems that he wishes to earn acclaim and credit by rejecting his native culture. However, this rejection shall reduce the literary beauty of his poem. This passage is contrasted in the second instance, where the young man in the second instance seems keen to embrace an identity, which will coincide with his acceptance in society.  

Learn more:

1. Which of these is an example of personification?

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2. At the beginning of "the world on turtle's back," why did the husband become "terrified"?

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Answer Details:

Grade: High School

Chapter: Take The Tortillas out of your poetry

Subject: English

Keywords:

Poetry, acclaim, fellowship, native cultural elements, rejection of literary elements, indigenous identity, acceptance.