Question

Read the excerpts from “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry” and “Speaking Arabic.”

My friend had concluded that if he took his language and culture out of his poetry, he stood a better chance of receiving a fellowship. He took out his native language, the poetic patois of our reality, the rich mixture of Spanish, English, pachuco and street talk which we know so well. In other words, he took the tortillas out of his poetry, which is to say he took the soul out of his poetry.

At a neighborhood fair in Texas, somewhere between the German Oom-pah Sausage Stand and the Mexican Gorditas booth, I overheard a young man say to his friend, “I wish I had a heritage. Sometimes I feel—so lonely for one.” And the tall American trees were dangling their thick branches right down over his head.

Which structural element is used in the excerpt by Anaya but not in the excerpt by Nye?
a) pathos
b) anecdote
c) tone
d) logos

Answer 1

d) Logos.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rudolfo Anaya's "Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry" is an essay that talks about the effect of censorship in the literary world. The essay talks of how writers have to 'follow' certain things if they want to be accepted by publishing industries.

Similarly, "Speaking Arabic" by Naomi Shihab Nye is a short essay that also talks about one's heritage and the idea of identity living in another nation. She also deals with themes of how one's language and heritage is as important as it is for everyone, but can also be a problem or an issue at the same time.

Looking at the structure of both excerpts given, Anaya uses logical reasoning to talk about how his friend took care of his situation. But Nye does not provide any logical reasoning in the given excerpt.

Thus, the correct answer is option d.