WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK! Search for my tongue SUJATA BHATT

Starter Think about the following statements and write a response to each: It must be a real advantage to be able to slip between different languages. It must be really confusing to have to use two different languages.

Discussion point People in different countries speak different languages; people living in different parts of the same country speak different dialects with different accents. How important is the way you talk and the language you use to you? If you moved to another country, how hard would you try to keep up your original language or accent?

Definitions What are the definitions of these words; Language Communication Tongue

Sujata Bhatt Sujata Bhatt was born in 1956 in India but later lived in the USA and Germany. She writes in both English and Gujarati, which she describes as her ‘mother tongue’. This poem was written when she was at university in America. She was worried she might forget her original language. She writes about being stuck between two cultures: "I have always thought of myself as an Indian who is outside India."

‘Search for my tongue’ What does the title suggest?

Search for my tongue. Discuss with a partner what you think the poem is about? Think about what the poet means by tongue. Write down your ideas.

First Reading ‘Tongue’ seems to have more than one meaning in this poem. What are they? The script in the middle of the poem is Gujarati. Why do you think the poet suddenly changes the language of the poem? This comes from a longer poem; by the end of this extract has the poet found what she was looking for?

Feelings and Attitudes The poet tries to make the reader understand what it is like to fear losing your mother tongue. The fear of the loss of her first language represents a anxiety about losing her Indian identity. She is concerned that she is caught between two cultures. However the poem ends happily when she realises that her mother tongue won’t die away but will always be a part of her.

WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK! Structure There are three main parts to the poem but do you know what they are? WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK! Lines What is happening? 1 - 15 The poet explains that she is fluent in two languages. She uses the image of having “two tongues in your mouth” to convey the idea. 16 - 30 31 - 38

POSSIBLE ANSWERS Lines What is happening? 1 - 15 16 - 30 31 - 38 The poet explains that she is fluent in two languages but she is worried that she might lose her mother tongue. 16 - 30 When she dreams it is in her mother tongue (this section is written in Gujarati – the poet’s mother tongue). 31 - 38 She describes how her mother tongue ‘grows back’ just when she thinks she has lost it.

Structure 1. Lines 16-30 are the Gujarati version of lines 31-38. Why do you think the poet structured her poem in this way, with the Gujarati section in the middle of the two English sections? 2. Why do you think she put the Gujarati version before its meaning in English?

Structure In an autobiographical poem, you might expect the poet to write continually in the first person. In the opening section of this poem, the writing is shaped as an answer to a question and there is much use of the second person. Why do you think the poet chose to do this?

WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK! Imagery In “Search For My Tongue”, Sujata Bhatt says that knowing two languages is like having 'two tongues in your mouth’. The poet uses an extended metaphor to express her thoughts and feelings about speaking two languages. In the third section, she compares her tongue to a plant. Why is this an effective image?

WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK! Imagery Image Effect created 'would rot / rot and die' 'it grows back' 'grows strong veins' ‘it blossoms out of my mouth’

Imagery Image Effect created 'would rot / rot and die in your mouth' Horrible image conveys her fear and horror at the thought of losing her mother tongue 'it grows back' The tongue is like a growing plant 'grows strong veins' Sounds strong, healthy and robust ‘it blossoms out of my mouth’ Image of beauty - the plant bursts into flower

Poetic Techniques Technique Evidence Effect metaphor Rot and die in your mouth Horrible image conveys her fear and horror at the thought of losing her mother tongue Personification pronouns repetition

WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK! Comparing poems What other poem could you connect this poem with? Write a paragraph comparing Bhatt’s use of imagery to any other poet’s use of imagery on the course so far.