In the excerpt of "Arias " by Richard Rodriguez, he describes his childhood struggles of learning English as a second language once him, his parents, and sibling moved to Sacramento, California. Rodriquez, now educated, an adult, and well literate in English describes his shame of his childhood fear of English. He believed when he was young, Spanish, his native language, was a private language for home, and English was a public language. English words sounded harsh to young Rodriguez in school. Years passed and he never progressed in learning the public language because he would escape home right after school, and be comfortable speaking Spanish, using his home as a hideout from the public and a crutch. Only after the nun/teachers of his school came to Rodriquez's house to ask his parents to encourage Rodriquez and his siblings to practice their English, did they actually start to learn English. He could no longer escape home to speak Spanish. Once this occurred, the Rodriquez's household changed. His parents and home was more silent because his parents couldn't relate to him, and his siblings. They couldn't talk to their kids or understand them. With these changes resulted in Rodriquz loosing intimacy with his family, but becoming in his mind, an American citizen and gained social identity.
Richard Rodriquez does an extremely well job supporting his argument with first person narrative, and compare and contrast. Rodriquez argues that learning English as a public language is an "obligation " (pg 8), and is the only way to achieve social identity and confidence. Using first person narrative Rodriguez describes first hand the struggles of learning to speak English as a kid. Using "I" " and this perspective makes his story easily relatable. Since I am from Reno, Nevada and both of my parents speak English, I grew up speaking English. I never had to translate words. School enhanced what my parents taught me to say at home.
Aria: a Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood -- Interpretive Essay Why does the author believe that it is not possible for children to use their "family language" in school? In paragraph 4 of Aria: a Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood, the author, Richard Rodriguez, states that "It is not possible for a child, any child, ever to use his family's language in school." ...
The Essay "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan and "A memoir of Bilingual Childhood" by Richard Rodriguez tell personal childhood experiences of both authors. ... Richard Rodriguez struggles to overcome the difference between his family language, Spanish and the American language, English. ... Rodriguez sees his Private language from another angle. ... There was no turning back, Rodriguez had to adapt and change. For Rodriguez learning English was not a choice but a key to surviving in school. ...
Richard Rodriguez is one of America's most celebrated essayist and journalist. ... Now, Richard Rodriguez was born in 1944 a native of San Francisco, California. ... She states that "Rodriguez claims his writing is political and educational to all the Latinos/Latinas out there but yet, I feel as if he does not know what he is talking about" Another critic named Laurette Elsberry also detests the way of Richard Rodriguez's form of text. ... On the other hand, there are some critics such as George Moreno who love Richard Rodriguez's work. ... To my knowledge the approach th...
"Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood" by Richard Rodriguez is a narrative of the author's childhood as he and his family learn to speak English and become more comfortable with their American identity. ... In "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood," Rodriguez described how he was reclusive in school, but he rushed home to speak with his family in his mother tongue (309). ... Just like Rodriguez, his school could not teach Richard or his siblings in a way they can understand so the school paid his family a visit to convince them to speak more English at home (30...
Two authors, who have each taken opposite sides of the debate on bilingual education in America, are: Richard Rodriguez and Ariel Dorfman. ... Also arguing against the immersion method, which Richard Rodriguez is in favor of, Dorfman states that, "The immersion methodwants youngsters to cut their ties to the syllables of their past culture. ... " (World Authors) Richard Rodriguez is a Mexican American Author who also struggled with bilingualism during his early life. ... Richard Rodriguez argues that there is no place in American Education for bilingualism. ... Examples of such woul...
This is an academic summary of an essay by Richard Rodriguez, "Achievement of Desire". ... In the essay "Achievement of Desire," author Richard Rodriguez, describes the difficulties balancing life in the academic world and the life of a working class family. ... Richard Hoggart, author of the book Working with the Past, states that a scholarship boy "is at the friction point of two cultures" (840). ... Rodriguez's parents had very little schooling. ... Richard Rodriguez's experiences are comparable to those that a high school student may experience going into their fi...
Both authors, Bell Hooks and Richard Rodriguez, wrote effective essays on the assimilation of white people but, Bell Hooks has the stronger one. In Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood, Rodriguez writes about his disagreement with affirmative action and the struggle that his family went through because of language difficulties; but, his many personal examples affects only a few people. ... Bell Hook's essay is more potent than Rodriguez's because her essay relates to more people, thus having the greater effect. ... Her essay compared to Rodriguez's essay is better. Rodr...
Both authors, Bell Hooks and Richard Rodriguez, wrote effective essays on the assimilation of white people but, Bell Hooks has the stronger one. In Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood, Rodriguez writes about his disagreement with affirmative action and the struggle that his family went through because of language difficulties; but, his many personal examples affects only a few people. ... Bell Hook's essay is more potent than Rodriguez's because her essay relates to more people, thus having the greater effect. ... Her essay compared to Rodriguez's essay is better. Rodr...
Richard Rodriguez no longer a "Scholarship Boy"? Richard Hoggart's book, The Uses of Literacy, provides his definition of the "scholarship boy"; Richard Rodriguez experiences what it is like to be a sholarship boy and shares his life story in his essay "The Achievement of Desire". ... In this passage Rodriguez describes his realization: leafing through Richard Hoggart's The Uses of Literacy, I found, in his description of the scholarship boy, myself. ... Works Cited Rodriguez, Richard. ... Martin's, 2002. 652-670 Hoggart, Richard. ...
