Aria By Richard Rodriguez Summary

Assimilation is inevitable and has been taking place since the 18th century. Native Americans were forcefully assimilated into American culture and society. Today, many foreign groups of individuals are integrated into American society. Many individuals label America as a “melting pot;” however, the nation cannot be given this “nickname” because when people assimilate into American culture, they must abandon their own cultural customs and conform entirely to their “new” society rather than cherishing them. An extremely controversial idea is whether this Americanization is destructive or beneficial. “Aria,” by Richard Rodriguez, is a narrative of a Spanish boy and his family who live in America and are indirectly forced to assimilate. Criticisms from Ramon Saldivar, Thomas Rivera, and Victor Villanueva evaluate whether this assimilation …show more content…
Rodriguez explains, “fewer words passed between parent and child” (par. 41), displaying the idea that after the family began to assimilate into American culture and adopt the English language, their bond falls apart as the children become more advanced with English than the parents do. The family did not interact as much as they used to when Spanish heritage was evident in their home. Saldivar, through the lens of Psychoanalytic Criticism in the sense that the family becomes disconnected and show forms of temperament, shows how after the family assimilated, “English . . . subverted the family’s sense of intimacy” (par. 1). This idea proves how disconnected the Rodriguez family becomes after conforming into American society and culture. Rivera tells how families destroy their bonds, “he almost forgets the original passions of human life” (par. 1), explaining the idea that assimilation causes Rodriguez to lose his heritage and treasured family ties. Assimilation has the destructive power to ruin once cherished family bonds and