A poetic meditation on the tongue also explores violence and silence within families

In her debut book, "Tongue," Australian author Kathryn Crowcroft delves into the intricate relationship between language, family dynamics, and personal violence. The book, which emerged from her doctoral research, showcases Crowcroft's ability to blend nonfiction and memoir in a unique style called a "nodal essay," composed of fragments and discrete narrative nodes.

The primary focus of the book is the tongue, a seemingly unattractive muscle that serves as a shapeshifter, allowing humans to communicate through speech and express both truth and falsehood. Crowcroft explores the various aspects of the tongue, from its physical composition and functions to its role in conveying both sacred and sinful sentiments.

She presents a range of images, from medieval medical drawings of papillae to cross-sections of membranes and even a dragon-like tongue, highlighting the diverse range of meanings associated with this seemingly simple organ.

A second thread that runs through the book is Crowcroft's exploration of her family history, focusing on her mother and father's relationship, as well as the impact of her father's violent past on their lives. Though Crowcroft refrains from providing explicit details, the lingering references to her mother's reluctance to acknowledge the violence and her own insistence on speaking about it create a continuous tension within the narrative.

This tension is further emphasized by the use of silence between the mother and daughter, as they attempt to navigate the painful memories of their father without directly confronting them.

The book also touches upon the power of language in both revealing and concealing the truth. Crowcroft quotes a late 19th-century lecture on the tongue, which ends with the statement "let the tongue speak for itself," and then challenges this notion by arguing that a tongue cannot truly speak for itself, as it is a mobile and slippery piece of flesh. She further acknowledges that words allowed by the tongue can easily slip away, losing their meaning in the process.

In conclusion, "Tongue" is a poetic and thought-provoking exploration of language, family relationships, and the complex nature of truth. Through its unique structure and blending of genres, Crowcroft invites readers to reflect on the multifaceted role of the tongue in our lives and the inherent challenges of expressing ourselves through words.