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"?
help
help
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.