Lengua Para Diablo is a story about poverty and a family that is suffering because of it.

In the story, a man lost his job and

has lost the will to talk to his wife – hence, the title, the devil ate his words. The story illustrated what kind of struggle a
normal family must have, especially if they live in poverty.

Written Close Analysis of Lengua Para Diablo

I. View
Lengua Para Diablo is an excerpt from the book “Banana Heart Summer.” Banana Heart Summer is written by Merinda
Bobis. Merlinda Bobis is an acclaimed Filipino-Australian writer and performer who has published in three languages. Her
novels, short story and poetry collections, and plays have received various awards.
Lengua Para Diablo means “The Devil Ate My Words.” “Lengua is a Spanish word meaning “tounge,” which in the story,
symbolizes the words eaten by the devil.
Lengua (Beef tongue) is also a dish made of cow’s tongue. Lengua is often seasoned with onion and other spices, and
then placed in a pot to boil.
II. Condense
The story started when a daughter suspected that her father sold his tongue to the devil. Her father did not speak much in
their house. Her father said that “the devil ate his words” which means he forgot what he was about to say; that statement
appeases his wife. Her father lost his job so he needed to conciliate more. Her mother was always complaining about their
hard situation so her father kept on promising that he would buy them the things that would make them comfortable.
The devil that ate his words was her father’s employer, who is a Spanish mestizo that owned several stores in the city.
The employer fired her father who is a mason after he found a cheaper deal for the extension of his house. Her father
didn’t say any word about his job to placate his family; the devil really ate his words.
Her daughter was wondering what the devil did to her father’s tongue. She was thinking that her father’s tongue was
cooked in mushroom sauce in the special Spanish way. She also imagined that her father’s tongue was served on the
devil’s platter with spices that gives an aroma of something rich and foreign. She thought that her father’s tongue was
luxuriating in a multitude of essences so she said that maybe he should also sell his esophagus and his stomach for him
to be pampered. She also imagined being cooked and put inside the stomach of a rich man where she could know the
feeling of too much affluence.
III. Culture Reflected
A culture that can be reflected from the text is the way of living of Filipino Families. Here in the Philippines, some families
depend more on fathers than the mothers. Fathers provide more for their families’ needs and wants. In the story, the
mother was always complaining, not knowing that her husband had lost his job. The problems that can be seen in the
story are loss of jobs, poverty, and unequal effort of parents which are the most common family problems here in our
country.
The Lengua (Beef tongue) dish was introduced in the story. It was described as a delectable food served with different
spices that gives off a rich and foreign aroma. That dish is often cooked and eaten by Filipinos. The colonization of Spain
here in the Philippines is probably the reason why it became known to us Filipinos.
IV. Literary Technique
The use of figurative language is the first technique that the author used. One example is when she represented tongue
as “words” which is a metaphor. The tongue was also made a food that is eaten by the devil to better convey the message
that the devil gets to experience much satisfaction in his life because the food is described as pampering. Another
example is when the father’s employer is represented as a devil. Figurative language is used to better communicate with
the readers because some ideas are too complicated. Figurative language also cause enjoyment on the reader and
author.
Another technique that the author used is the inclusion of descriptive words especially in describing food. The author
stated the steps in cooking; she also included the ingredients of the food. The descriptive words enable the readers to
know the appearance, smell, texture, taste, etc. which is an effective technique because they will be able to easily imagine
the things that are being described.
V. Deep
The interpretation of the text became hard at first for me. I did not understand why the tongue is cooked and served. But
later on, I realized that the daughter wants to deliver a message. She was always imagining food; she thought that a body
part experiences satisfaction because of the exotic ingredients added to it. She thought that it was better to sell other body
parts as well so that they could experience things that they were not experiencing. For me, I think the reason why she
stated those things is because they are not affluent; she says that selling body parts will make them inducted to secrets,
thus experiencing what the wealthy are experiencing.
The author only wanted to deliver the message that there are problems today that Filipinos are still facing. Some families
are still struggling in life. The excerpt successfully delivered its message about the situation of families here in our country.
The text is interesting; the author’s techniques caused me to be engaged while reading. I recommend this text to be read
by teen students because it would help them improve their reading comprehension and make them aware of some
problems in our society. Being aware of our different problems at an early age would be a great help because it will
prepare us to avoid or face those problems.

In our culture father is considered the “haligi ng tahanan”, they are the face of the family. The father reflects what kind of
family you are into. They are the role models of the family. What if a father loses his able to speak for himself?

The story shows how unemployment and poverty greatly affects the situation of the family, particularly if the father is the
one that is unemployed. The father in the story lost his pride and ability to speak for himself. He lost it all due to the reason
that he has no work and no longer can support and contribute to his family financially. He has no more confidence to
share his own views and opinions and looked down by his’ own children.

The story said “The devil ate his words” he doesn’t more gain respect from his kids, no more pride and especially his
dignity was lost. The situation is truly happening now in the society. This usually happens to young family that is caused
by early pregnancy for they don’t have enough proper knowledge and education. These situations are really present to our
community. The situation is really difficult to the father because he needs to sacrifice all of his pride and ego to stay home
and monitor to their kids. There are many possibilities that may happen the father may have another affair or may use
drugs of abuse. Not just that the kids may mock their fathers and be ashamed of them for they are not earning. This is
really disheartening from the father’s side. That is why proper education and guidance of the family is really important. So
that we won’t have these kinds of situations in our society for the main reason of this is LACK OF EDUCATION!
Words capacity to fulfill promises
Neocolonialism the use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially
former dependencies
Describing the Lengua The girl felt a little bit of jealousy (wanted to be numb to poverty as well)
Describing the Lengua described the tongue as being silent (the father's humanity and self-wroth has been taken away
from him)
the degradation of the father's dignity, the devil ate the humanity of the father, represents an individual's freedom of
speech, "Imagine the words scraped off the tongue, and even taste, our capacity for pleasure."
Reflection of Sexism in Society
the en are always the providers in the family (the father couldn't provide because he lost his job)
Reflection of Sexism in Society
gender roles, stereo types
Neocolonialism reflected in the text
the devil was the employer (the father has lost ties with the person that represented the Elites; beginning of suffering after
losing his job)
By nature, the father plays the role as the breadwinner of the family. This basically means that the father brings and is
the main source of income that allows the family to acquire for their basic necessities and some leisure. To simply put,
no job for the father equals to no income for the family. In "Lengua Para Diablo", contemporary Philippine-Australian
writer Merlinda Bobis used several writing techniques like symbolism and reversal of roles.

The story prompts a very realistic setting that shows our country's problems today — poverty and unemployment — and
how it affects us. It can be seen in the text that the father's being jobless created a big difference in the way he acts
around his family. He was not able to fulfill his promise of a better life for his family, especially to his wife whom he
have sworn to provide an electric fan, bigger windows, and a bigger house. I think that the father used the line "the
devil ate my words" as an excuse for he already lost the capability to explain why he lost his job and along losing his
job, he also lost his pride and dignity as a man and a father.

Another part in the story which really frustrates me is when the father tried to comfort his wife. It doesn't make sense
at all for me because it shows that he is all words and no actions. The father got so caught up on being a disappointment
to the wife that he doesn't try to look for a new job so that his family can get by nonetheless.

In the end, the story serves as a reminder as to what major problems most countries are facing. Having known this
story gave me time to reflect on my actions and words towards everyone around me and appreciate them more than
how I used to. This story by Merlinda Bobis is indeed a story worth reading.