Flights: A Novel

In what way does the vignette entitled "Drama and Action" echo themes of the vignette entitled "The Tongue is the Strongest Muscle"?

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In “Drama and Action," the narrator experiences for herself the plight of native and monolingual English speakers, as described in the earlier vignette entitled “The Tongue is the Strongest Muscle.” In a moment of carelessness, the narrator “inadvertently reveals herself” (325) by swearing in Polish. This unguarded use of her private language prompts a Polish-born stranger to cry and to reveal her nationality to the narrator. In the earlier vignette, private language was discussed only as a boon. In this case, the swear word effectively exposes both the listener and the speaker.