Normal throat and tonsils. The inside of a mouth, showing a healthy throat (pharynx) and tonsils. At bottom is the tongue. The fleshy protuberance hanging at the back of the mouth is the uvula, an extension of the soft palate. The tonsils are the two areas of tissue on either side of the uvula, just above the tongue. The back wall of the pharynx can be seen behind the tip of the uvula. The tonsils contain white blood cells that help to fight infections of the throat and upper respiratory tract.