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Eric Lee

Professor Lay

Eng-W 131

15 September 2022

Comparative Analysis between two pieces, Yam’s and Erdrich’s Essay

As the world has been globalized and neatly connected, it has given people a chance to

become more individualistic and diversified. This phenomenon has altered the definition of

identity perceived by the public. Some hated their recognition and solemnly accepted their two or

more identities. The discrepancies in appearance, accent, and culture were shown and sometimes

weren’t accepted. Yam’s and Endrich’s essays are about two women who overgo two distinct

processes of embracing their roots. This essay will compare how the two authors represented their

respective issues using different structures, tones, and evidence.

Before jumping into the analysis of two articles, a summary will be provided. Yam is a

daughter of an immigrant family. She saw how American society neglected her dad’s identity

regardless young or old. As her root was a stain on her, she hid it just like her father. Yet, she

understood the importance of her identity, which allowed her to confess her feelings to her dad

with a letter-structured essay. Yam’s targeted audiences were immigrants who are overgoing

similar encounters and pinning out the nature of irony within her country, the USA. Unlike Yam,

Erdrich was eager to embrace her roots. She didn’t encounter any form of disregard as she was

born “American.” Therefore, the significance Ojibwe, a native American, held for Erdrich gave

her an immersible passion for pursuing her orientation. However, she couldn’t find a proper mentor

or direction in her culture. In her essay, Erdrich shares her stories to encourage and guide people

to learn and accept foreign languages.

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Yam chose letter structured essay to portray her thoughts and feelings. The letter to her

father clearly shows the effort Yam spent pondering the letter's central thesis while creating certain

ease for the audience. Yam’s essay contains evidence of how she tried to comfort the audience.

The letter starts with “Dear Papa,” the word usually used to express intimacy, and it creates a

sentiment that this letter is more personal and sincere. Letter to papa makes handier for readers to

relate to the story because it’s something usual or customary. Now with the progression of her idea,

she managed to create a very smooth flow of notions. Although it was a personal letter to her father,

she started with anecdotes as a young child leading to a logical flow. She constructed the base with

her childhood experiences and steadily developed her idea by sharing how her perspective altered

and gained profound thoughts on racial discrimination.

Erdrich’s essay is a consolidated piece with personal anecdotes. By sharing her experiences,

Erdrich shares how she deepen herself as Ojibwemowin. Unlike Yam’s essay, Erdrich’s intention

was straightforward: a narrative essay. Erdrich’s thoughts and outcomes are always followed after

learning Ojibwe. It gently provides specific claims and explains why she was able to have that

notion or idea. This will allow the readers to be more engaged in the reading by allowing the

audience to understand the process of learning language and how Erdrich thinks. She started by

sharing her excessive love for the Ojibwe language. “Every day I try to learn a little more Ojibwe.”

(Erdrich). With this extreme love, Erdrich carries on the article with a logical flow. In the shoe of

readers, readers might have a few questions. Why was she suddenly eager to learn Ojibwe; How

did she study Ojibwe; What was interesting in Ojibwe; She articulated all the question marks with

a consistent flow: her experience followed by her thoughts and learning. Also, the sequential time

frame structure aids readers in having a better understanding and interest. With the informative

and logical structure and flow, Erdrich was capable of sharing her Ojibwe adventure efficiently.
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Tone dictates how readers distinguish the voice of the author. In the overall article, Yam’s

tone was regretful about being ashamed of her cultural orientation. At the start of her essay, she

describes her father in the late 1980s as a fearless and heroic figure. “You began to reminisce about

how you spent your prime, roughing it in 1980s Chinatown. How you animatedly shouted

Cantonese in the kitchens. How you refused to shut up, like a real Chinese person” (Yam). Then,

mournfully, she portrays how he has given in to the oppression. “But you were different now, you

insisted” (Yam). She deplores her father’s unique Chinese entity and detests her courage which

couldn’t assure him that his reminder of roots is not the taint. Then with an understanding voice,

she accepts why he has given in. “I cannot blame you for your perceived victory.” “Imitation, the

sincerest form of othering.” (Yam). She understands and empathizes with his pain and isolation

from major culture. Yet, she expresses her anger towards the irony of politicians and society. “The

president also recently demonized immigrants, linking immigration reform to gun control.” (Yam).

She conveyed the chagrin of discrimination towards immigrants when the immigrants and colonial

victims built the nation. With this gradually invigorated tone of displeasure, she efficiently leads

readers to agree with her experiences and social ridicule. At last, she smoothly connects the

exasperation through a mature voice carrying love and care. “I’m different now too, Papa. And I

know now that they lied to us.” (Yam).” You’ve felt the ache of famine from the Cultural

Revolution, the yearning for stability, the toil of establishing life on strange ground.” (Yam).

Viewing from her father’s perspective, she states the love and embracing of her roots and her

father’s impeccable past. The divergence in the tone starts from nostalgia, anger, and embracing.

Gradually developing emotions by different usage of tone have successfully transferred Yam’s

thoughts to the readers.

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Erdrich’s personal experiences of her identity quite differ from Yam’s coalitions.

Neglection of the roots was never in her history. Therefore, it was natural for Erdrich to have the

eagerness and portray a passionate voice throughout the article. At the start of the essay, Erdrich

mentions how she cheated on English. “I have been in love with a language other than the English

in which I write, and it is a rough affair.” (Erdrich). She is not ashamed to express her love and joy

for the forgotten native American language. Yet, her essay contained not only a joyful voice; there

were ups and downs. With the underlying passion for pursuing her orientation, she expresses her

exhaustion with limiting opportunities. “I used language tapes.” “The language bit deep into my

heart, but it was an unfulfilled longing. I had nobody to speak it with” (Erdrich). Erdrich shares

her draining moments giving drama to the audience. This will help readers to count on the next

decision, or action Erdrich will make. After the exhausting tone of voice, Erdrich, with excitement

in her voice, opens a new chapter in her Ojibwe Journey: moving to Minneapolis, where Ojibwe

is spoken. At the end of the essay, she shares her story enlighteningly. With her experience, she

learned that if someone wants to learn a language, one also must understand the spirit of the

language. With various types of voice, Erdrich has shared her journey and learnings with the

readers.

Both Yam’s and Erdrich’s essays were included in the big bracket “Identity,” but the usage

of tone, structure, and language differ in how readers perceive their respective thesis statements.

Yam shared very personal and dark anecdotes and social irony in the form of intimacy. She

accomplished her purpose with the proper usage of a diverse tone and logical structure. On the

other hand, Erdrich has shared her learning journey in the narrative form, followed by rational

reasoning. She shared the ups and downs in her adventure with a suitable tone and structure,
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helping readers not lose interest. Both essays are noteworthy and allow for reconsidering identities

and orientations.
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Citations

Yam, Kimberly. “Love letter to My American Father’s Chinese Accent.” Languaging Across

Texts and Contexts: A Reader for Multilingual Writers, edited by Katie Silvester and Xin

Chen, Fountainhead Press, 2020.

Erdrich, Louise. “Two Language in Mind, but Just One in the Heart.” Languaging Across Texts

and Contexts: A Reader for Multilingual Writers, edited by Katie Silvester and Xin Chen,

Fountainhead Press, 2020.