Author Archives: vtn477

Born as the first child of Vietnamese immigrants, I began to speak in Vietnamese before I could in English, with “Cá”, meaning fish, being my first word. When I was of age to go to school, I remember taking a readiness test to see if I needed to attend preschool, and the fact that I primarily spoke Vietnamese instead of English placed me into the program. I was then taught to identify colors and shapes in English when I knew them in another language. After attending school where English was only spoken, I found myself forgetting my native language. My “wild tongue” was tamed by my surroundings which normalized one language over any other language, primarily in youth when the brain is developing. I asked my parents if they believed that they were forced to learn English and use it in America. In response, they saw it as a way to be accepted by coworkers, friends, and strangers and not be looked down upon for speaking Vietnamese: they viewed English as a sophisticated language and Vietnamese as its inferior counterpart. With this viewpoint, non-English languages in the United States can be suppressed as immigrants yearn for the feeling of belonging and acceptance. When early schooling pushes for language development in one primary language and American society makes it difficult for immigrants to embrace their native tongue, the “wild tongue” can be tamed.

-Vivian Nguyen

-wild woman: The wild woman was seen hopping on the tables at the bar and kicking over everyone’s drinks as she danced around.

-wild man: Christopher was a wild man. He never stayed in any country for more than 2 consecutive weeks and loved to cliff dive.

-wild animal: The wild animal pranced around in a field of daisies, unknowing of the hunter hiding in the bushes nearby.

-wild beast: Provoked, the wild beast leaped towards the lost soldier and ferociously swiped at the man’s face with its sharp claws. 

-wild thing: Her poem was such a wild thing in her time. She portrayed themes of feminism and homosexuality when they were looked down upon in society.

-Vivian Nguyen

Born in 1854, Irish poet Oscar Wilde was a leader in promoting the literary Aestheticism movement. During this period, Wilde and other literary leaders reflected the Aestheticism belief that the many forms of art should solely give sensual pleasure as opposed to conveying moral, educational messages. Along with his strong leadership in embodying this ideal, Wilde was also known for his criminal conviction revolving around his homosexuality. For his deviating characteristics and beliefs on art and sexuality, Wilde was perceived as someone “larger than life” and very unusual compared to the “norm” expected from a poet and/or society member. Now, Wilde is widely appreciated for his diversion from his time’s expectations and his literary works have become well known. 

Wilde was a controversial figure significantly for his homosexuality and conviction of “gross indecency”. In the Victorian era in which he produced his works, it was very rare of a public literary figure to be homosexual, be a convict, and passionately communicate his beliefs in his writing. Looking at his writing that reflects these deviations, I perceive him as a “wild” writer. One of his pieces that stood out to me was the poem, “The Ballad of Reading Gaol”. Written in 1898 after his release from Reading Gaol Prison, the literary work describes the poet’s imprisonment and narrates the brutal hanging of inmate Charles Thomas Wooldridge. Wilde eerily describes the shameful death he witnesses, detailing the “noose about his neck”, the “cloth upon his face”, and the “dark disgrace”. Incorporating a darker element in his writing, Wilde takes on an uncommon approach to reflecting criminal punishments. Instead of looking down on those who have done wrong in society and viewing punishments as just, the poet expresses the grim brutality of the punishments that criminals face. Furthermore, Wilde states that “each man kills the thing he loves” and does wrong, yet not everyone dies this brutal death. This stance is wild in that it goes against the common ideal that criminals are bad and deserve the punishments they receive for their wrongdoings- people who stay out of the criminal system are good and deserve better than those in jail. By wildly presenting a work that was seen as “out of the ordinary” and controversial during this time, the poet lives up to his last name and challenges society through his literary art.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45495/the-ballad-of-reading-gaol

Vivian Nguyen

In both Hemingway’s The Good Lion and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, wildness is portrayed in the form of short stories which can be interpreted by both children and adults. In Hemingway’s written piece, the theme of domestic vs wild is embedded through the tail of a “good lion” who has a more sophisticated, civilized taste compared to the “bad lions” living in Africa who are deemed as savage. The first writer used the word “wicked” in describing the African lions who like to kill and eat animals/humans rather than pasta and wine. In one instance, Hemingway describes the lioness “who was the wickedest of them all” as a savage hunter with “yellow eyes..[and] blood caked on her whiskers.” These beastly characteristics “frightened the good lion very much” and evoke the sense of fear from the audience regarding the bad lions. This use of descriptive imagery paints wickedness to be synonymous with untameness and savagery- something that is seen as less civilized compared to other beings. In similar light, Sendak uses the word “wild” to describe abnormal, strange beasts that the main character discovers after sailing to an imaginative place. The wild things “roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth,” depicting the savagery of the beasts the young boy had encountered. The repetition of the word “terrible” suggests that these beasts are not friendly, and things that should be feared. This use of the word “wild” in Where the Wild Things Are is most similar to the uncivilized use of “wicked” in The Good Lion. On the other hand, Sendak describes the young boy as a “wild thing”,  in addition to the beasts, after causing trouble in his home. This use of the word takes on a meaning that is closer to a theme of good vs evil rather than domestic vs wild. In this case, a well-mannered child would be considered normal/good whereas a child chasing the family dog or hammering holes into the wall (pictures from the book) would be described as “wild” and bad. This definition is slightly different than the savagery and uncivilized meanings “wildness” takes on in both short stories.

Vivian Nguyen

In the Wizard of Oz, the communicator is author Frank Baum himself. As a writer well known for his children’s stories, Baum would be expected to write to an audience of American children for the main purpose of entertainment. Even though one intended audience group is children, there could also be a broader audience of adults who can “take in” the messages communicated throughout the novel and make connections to the context of the novel being written (ie. industrialization, the American populist movement, etc.). Since the novel may be perceived either at a surface-level or deeply, the audience consists of both children and adults.

In chapter 6 of the novel, the word “wild” is used to describe an “animal hidden among the trees” when Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Woodman, and Scarecrow are making their way through the woods. In this use of the polysemous word, “wild” is used to describe animals that live in the natural world without human interference. Furthermore, Baum paints this “wildness” to be something unknown, dangerous, and fear-invoking. By describing the lack of birds and sunlight in this part of the woods, the author paints the scene to be dark and lifeless. Additionally, Baum includes the sensory imagery of “the little girl’s heart beat[ing] fast” to describe how Dorothy reacts to the presence of wild animals in the woods. In doing so, Baum evokes a sense of fear and suspense in the audience as these wild animals cannot be seen, yet they are heard. In his novel, Baum adds an element of fright and suspense to the formal definition of “wild” in order to introduce a vital character in the story- the “Cowardly Lion”. By using something “wild” to scare the protagonist of the story, the author expresses the importance of courage within a person to overcome this fear.

Vivian Nguyen

Released in 2008, Katy Perry’s hit, pop-rock song, “I Kissed A Girl”, topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for multiple weeks and is still streamed regularly by music listeners. During this time, sexual orientation and curiosity pertaining to sexuality were quite rarely touched on in pop music, as well as popular culture overall, because prejudice against homosexuality was on a greater scale during the 2000s compared to that of 2022. In the genre of 2000s pop, it was common for artists to write and produce songs regarding love and the opposite sex. Although most artists refused to refer to homosexuality in their work, Katy Perry, known for her musical experimentation and “wildness”, has touched on sexual orientation on multiple occasions and can be seen as an artist who deviates from the “norm” of pop. Specifically, “I Kissed A Girl” is about the female narrator getting drunk and soon becoming curious about a girl whom she does not know, even though she already has a boyfriend. She then describes kissing the female stranger and being torn on whether it was the right or wrong thing to do but concludes that she liked it. I find this song to be “wild” because at the time, girls were expected to not act so uncontrollable nor be homosexual. Perry acknowledges this expectation by stating “It’s not what, good girls do/ Not how they should behave”. Because the narrator does what is not expected by her and, instead, does what she is naturally inclined to do, this song aligns with the definition of “wild”. As a result, a large listening audience was attracted/shocked by its wildness, boosting its sales.

https://genius.com/Katy-perry-i-kissed-a-girl-lyrics

Vivian Nguyen

Posted by FIFA’s official Youtube account, the highlight reel of soccer player Abby Wambach, a past striker of the US Women’s National Team, demonstrates the “wildness” of women’s soccer and the dynamic of the game. In the video, Wambach can be seen scoring goals during the Women’s World Cup with not only her feet, but also her head. The pure athleticism needed to maneuver and jump higher than a crowd of defenders while making contact with a ball shot at 70 mph reflects the “vicious” competitiveness women’s soccer players have.

The sport itself is played across both genders and has the same set of rules- 2 teams of 11 are challenged to score against their opposition while also defending their goal and being aware of penalties/fouls. In the Women’s World Cup, a globally televised soccer tournament, the players consist of women from 32 countries, “communicating” their excellence at the sport through athleticism and teamwork. Although the crowd of soccer fans spectating, whether in the stadium or watching from a streaming device, consists of all generations and genders, a target audience of women’s soccer is the population of young girls watching who play or would like to play the sport. Even though the rules of the game are identical across genders, women who play soccer are commonly perceived as less capable, skilled, and athletic compared to their male counterparts. Statistics-wise, lesser advertisement, endorsements, and public interest makes it difficult for this perception of women’s soccer to be countered. Accordingly, female professional soccer players take on the responsibility of showcasing their talents and encouraging young girls to do the same. Playing soccer up until the age of 16, I myself idolized players like Abby Wambach and would sit in awe while watching the USWNT play. After carefully studying the playing styles and fitness of female players, I believe the downplay of women’s soccer is unjust. The physicality and tricks of the sport contribute to the standard definition of “wildness”, whereas the aspect of women showing elevated athleticism is “wild” by breaking expectations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwlnU-yo89I

Vivian Nguyen

A film that I consider “wild” is Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, starring Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, and Luis Guzmán. Released in 2012, the fantasy/adventure film captures director Brad Peyton’s vision of the word “wild” while also incorporating the themes of trust in others and courage. In the film, Sean Anderson, accompanied by his stepfather Hank, a helicopter pilot, and the pilot’s daughter, ventures onto The Mysterious Island in hopes of finding his lost grandfather. On the island, they find themselves battling strange animals, racing against time as the island sinks, and revealing more secrets the island holds. Reflecting on its elements, I find this film to reflect multiple definitions of the word “wild”. Most evidently, the characters are placed in a natural, uninhabited jungle where the animals and plants grow independently of people. Additionally, the obstacles on the island faced are “wild” in a sense that elements are unexpected and unusual. For instance, the massive volcano present on the island spews out gold rather than lava. Because of the film’s natural setting and inclusion of unusual, abnormal objects, I can describe this film as “wild”.

The movie scene that most reflects the wildness of the 2012 film occurs when the adventurers find themselves running from an abnormally large lizard after stepping on, and breaking, its egg. The scene first pans away from a natural scenery that includes a waterfall, tree-covered mountains, forest floor greenery, and birds soaring. Along with the background music, the sounds of water, trees rustling, and birds can be heard. With these natural elements, the scene depicts the plants and animals as “wild”. Furthermore, the main characters are seen to be walking and jumping on large “rocks” which are soon discovered to be abnormally-large lizard eggs that lead to an enormous mother lizard. Since this animal would be expected to be much smaller than a human, but is horrifyingly not, I would describe this scene as wild as it diverts from the norm and what is expected to entertain the audience. 

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Trailer 

Lizard Scene Link 

Vivian Nguyen

With there being discussion on the true definition of the word “wild,” a number of official dictionaries present not just one singular definition of the term, but multiple. According to both the Cambridge and Merriam-Webster dictionaries, describing a subject as “wild” may signify its uncontrolled, extreme nature. Stemming from this interpretation, one may describe extreme weather conditions, a lively party, or possibly outlying financial statistics as wild. On the other hand, both dictionaries provide an alternate definition that describes a wild subject as beings, most commonly plants or animals, living in a state of nature without domestication. Therefore, one may also describe a rainforest’s inhabitants and grasses as wild. Moreover, “wild” is also used to describe an unconventional act that deviates from the idea of something commonly accepted, or the “norm”. In sum, then, the word “wild” may be used in various contexts to describe a subject.

My own perception of the word “wild” is similar to this polysemy. I believe the adjective may be used in various settings while meaning different things. On the other hand, I most frequently refer to something as wild when it diverts from a common expectation or norm. For instance, I would expect an “everyday” car in a parking lot to stay still in a parking lot. In contrast to this expectation, a car doing doughnuts in a parking lot would seem “wild” to me. In similar contexts, my use of the word “wild” is synonymous with the words “free” and “unrestricted”. My common use of the word “wild” in this type of context can make me forget its alternate meanings. In reflection, I also realize that various languages other than English define “wild” in different ways. I find it interesting that, opposed to this polysemous view, the word “wild” translated to Vietnamese, or hoang dai, solely reflects the definition of which wild things are related to nature and a lack of human interference. This contrast between languages proves that the meaning of “wild” is open to interpretation rather than being one simple definition.

Vivian Nguyen