Rhetorical Review of "Talking in Color: Collision of Cultures"

A talent of the human race would be its ability to adapt through language. In the personal essay of Tiffany Hendrickson, “Talking in Color: Collision of Cultures” (21 March 2013), she explores the power of the voice and language and that we adjust ourselves based on the crowd we are speaking to using a method called “code switching”. The author develops the essay through her own personal experience and research in order to find an answer to what truly qualifies as “the correct English”. Originally, Hendrickson’s audience was her professor, though after being published it can be argued that she could be speaking to anyone who truly stands on two sides of the language barrier and has trouble—like she—understanding why they are being judged for not meeting the expectations placed upon them based on appearance due to society’s prejudice in regards to language, accents, and voice.

Amazing. Truly amazing. I find Hendrickson’s words insightfully honest as well as inspiring. It is as if I could feel and almost understand the challenges in which she faced. I felt that it was empowering. A story of true struggle followed by the ultimate rise to success. Although I cannot relate her entire story to one of my own, due to differences in economic success and communication barriers, there is one aspect I know all too well. I had moved to Georgia at just eight years of age. Back then in the town I lived in, African Americans were still the minority. I grew up with mostly white friends, but as more and more African Americans moved into my town, something was brought to my attention. Due to the education of my mother and my love for English and literature, I always held to a high standard that I would speak and write properly. Being the child of two immigrants, it was always fair to say that my speech varied from that of my parents and other relatives, but what made me stand out more was how my speech was received by those who were a part of the world in which I lived. This became a problem for me in school and even till this day, because no matter how hard I try and how many minor variations I add to my speech, my face will never match my voice or even the way I act. I also wonder, like Hendrickson, why speaking properly means speaking white and why that alone is held to a higher standard than that of someone who speaks black?

           Hendrickson’s speaks about her confusion on her speech and why white people look at her different after she starts to have a conversation with them. According to Hendrickson, she explains how she was treated by white people after engaging in conversations with them. Hendrickson tried to find out reasons why her speech was the way it is and why people looked at her differently after she spoke. In her first paragraph, she stated “As I wait for the bus, the white faces rushing to school look at me quizzically because I’m not walking to their school.”(Hendrickson, paragraph 1). Here she is explaining that she went to a school with black students, which she spoke like the kids that she was around. She wondered if this is the reason why her speech is the way it was. She also made a statement, “Growing up with a completely deaf mother, voices and messages are assorted in our household.”(Hendrickson, paragraph 1). She wondered if this could be part of the reason that her speech is also different. Hendrickson struggled with white people and how they treated her bad. She quoted a white guy saying, “Are you white?”(Hendrickson, paragraph 6). She replied yes he then said “Well, then talk white. Stop talking like a nigger.”(Hendrickson, paragraph 6).This really made Hendrickson feel bad and she didn’t want to speak to anybody for a long time. She went on in time trying to find out why people put a color to a voice. Which made no since to her. Hendrickson felt nobody should be judged solely because of the way they speak. She went on to major in Communications, which gave her a better understanding to speech and how it can be used effectively. Code-Switching helped her to understand how to speak differently with certain people. She accepted who she is and worried less on how others felt about her speech.

Precis by Aja Taylor

Response by Jensine Maxis

Analysis by Pernida Freeman