Welcome to Your Study Guide: Search For My Tongue (Sujata Bhatt)
Hello future Literature expert! This poem, "Search For My Tongue", is a powerful and very personal piece about identity, language, and culture. It might feel a little unusual because it uses two languages, but don't worry—we’ll break it down step-by-step.
Understanding this poem is key to tackling the theme of cultural identity in your exams. It’s all about what happens when you grow up speaking one language at home and another in the world outside. Let’s dive in!
1. Context and Background: Who is Sujata Bhatt?
Knowing a little about the poet helps us understand *why* they wrote the poem.
Key Context Points:
- Displacement: Sujata Bhatt was born in India, but moved to the USA when she was young. This experience of moving between different countries and cultures is central to her work.
- Bilingualism: She grew up speaking Gujarati (her mother tongue) but learned and spoke English in school and daily life.
- The Core Conflict: The poem explores the tension (the feeling of being pulled in two directions) that comes from balancing these two major languages. Which one truly defines her identity?
Analogy: Imagine having two favourite shirts, but everyone tells you only one is fashionable. This poem is about proving that the original shirt (Gujarati) is just as important, even if it's hidden away.
2. Summary and Core Themes
The poem is structured around a central fear: the fear of losing the mother tongue and the joy of realizing it is permanently preserved.
A. Poem Summary:
The speaker expresses the deep anxiety that her mother tongue (Gujarati) is starting to fade away because she constantly uses English. She imagines this loss as a physical ailment—a rotting tongue. In the second half, which is calmer and more positive, the speaker realizes that the mother tongue is deeply rooted within her and cannot truly be lost.
B. The Big Three Themes:
- Identity and Belonging: The poem argues that language is inseparable from who you are. To lose your language is to lose a piece of your cultural identity.
- The Mother Tongue vs. Foreign Tongue: The distinction between the nurturing, internal language (Gujarati) and the external, dominant language (English). The mother tongue is presented as something living, like a relative or a plant.
- Preservation and Hope: Despite the initial fear, the ending is triumphant. The mother tongue survives, protected within the speaker’s body and mind.
Quick Review: The main conflict is fear of loss versus assurance of permanence.
3. Structural Analysis: How the Poem is Built
The structure of this poem is highly effective because it visually and emotionally reflects the speaker’s internal conflict.
A. Form and Structure:
- Free Verse: The poem uses free verse (no strict rhyme scheme or meter). This gives the speaker a natural, conversational, and often breathless tone, reflecting her anxiety.
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The Two Halves: The poem is clearly divided:
- Part 1 (Fear): The majority of the poem, focusing on the worry and the dream of loss.
- Part 2 (Assurance/The Gujarati Script): The final lines, written in Gujarati, proving the language's survival.
B. The Role of Italics (The Dream Sequence):
The speaker uses italics to describe a terrifying dream:
"Every time I think I’ve forgotten it,
it surfaces again..."
This section represents the deep-seated anxiety of the speaker. The italics visually separate this fear from the poem's reality. It is a frightening vision of the mother tongue physically decaying: “rot,
a little bit each day.”
C. The Gujarati Script at the End:
This is perhaps the most important structural feature. The final lines are written in the Gujarati script.
Why is this powerful?
It is the ultimate proof that the language is not lost. It physically occupies the page, showing the reader that the mother tongue has been preserved, despite being unused for long periods. It is a moment of self-reclamation—taking back the identity defined by her first language.
Memory Aid: Think of the structure like a movie. The first part is the scary nightmare sequence (Italics), and the end is the happy ending where the protagonist wakes up safe (The Gujarati script).
4. Language and Imagery Analysis: What the Poet Says and How
Bhatt uses very physical, visceral language to make abstract concepts (language, identity) feel real and tangible.
A. The Tongue as a Metaphor:
The tongue is the central metaphor. It is not just a muscle for speaking; it is a symbol for the entire language and cultural heritage.
- Physical Description: The speaker describes the tongue rotting, swelling, and being covered in mildew. This grotesque imagery emphasizes the pain and shame of cultural loss.
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The Foreign/Mother Tongue Split:
The foreign tongue (English) is described as useful for the outside world, but the mother tongue (Gujarati) is the one that "grows inside your mouth"—it is intimate and personal.
B. Living Imagery (The Plant Analogy):
Bhatt compares the language to something living, like a plant or a seed:
"It grows back, a stump of a tree,
and the wet, fresh, flower
of a Vakil"
The image of the tongue sprouting back, fresh and wet like a flower (or a weed that refuses to die), shows its natural resilience. This conveys the idea that the mother tongue is a natural, organic part of the self that cannot be eradicated.
Did you know? A 'Vakil' is a lawyer or an advocate, but here Bhatt might be referring to a species of plant or simply the robust, regenerative power of nature itself, linked back to the idea of the tongue being a growing thing.
C. Repetition and Enjambment:
- Repetition: The phrase "it grows back" is repeated, reinforcing the triumphant message of survival and persistence.
- Enjambment: The lines often run over (enjambment) without punctuation, mimicking the fast, breathless flow of thoughts and feelings, especially the anxiety in the first half.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Do not confuse the language of the 'dream' (fear and decay) with the language of the 'reality' (growth and freshness). They represent opposite ideas!
5. Key Quotes and Examination Focus
Here are three essential quotes to memorize and analyze for your exam, covering the poem's different phases:
Quote 1: The Fear of Loss (Decay)
“and if I let it rot in my mouth
I won’t be able to spit it out.”
Analysis: The choice of the verb "rot" creates a disturbing, physical image of decomposition. If the speaker loses the language, she loses the ability to articulate her true self—she won't be able to "spit it out" (express herself fully). This highlights the vulnerability of the language.
Quote 2: The Physical Difference (Intimacy)
“The mother tongue is somehow
the one growing inside your mouth,
and the foreign tongue
is the one you learn to spit out.”
Analysis: This contrast establishes the difference between the two languages. The mother tongue is internal ("inside your mouth," inherent, part of the body), while the foreign tongue is external ("spit out," used only for communication with the outside world). This emphasizes the deeply intimate connection to Gujarati.
Quote 3: The Assurance of Revival (Growth)
“it grows back, a stump of a tree”
Analysis: The image of the "stump of a tree" suggests resilience. Even if the language is cut down or neglected, its roots are deep and strong enough to regenerate. The language is not fragile; it is permanent and unyielding. The immediate growth of the "wet, fresh, flower" confirms its living vitality.
6. Quick Study Review Box
This poem is perfect for answering questions about identity and conflict.
Key Takeaways for Revision:
- Context: Bhatt’s experience as a bilingual immigrant fuels the poem.
- Central Metaphor: The Tongue = Identity/Language.
- Key Structural Device: The use of Italics for the nightmare/fear, and the Gujarati Script for the reality/triumph.
- Theme of Resilience: The language, like a plant, will always grow back even if neglected.
Keep practicing your analysis of the imagery! If you can explain *why* the rotting tongue is scary and *why* the growing flower is hopeful, you’ve mastered the poem. You’ve got this!