Bilingualism In Hunger Of Memory By Richard Rodriguez

Improved Essays
In the interview with Hector A. Torres, Richard Rodriguez builds an interesting personality that is similar to his essays in Hunger of Memory. In the interview, it became clear that Rodriguez wanted to be known for his cultural politics. The conflicting views on bilingualism seems, in the interview, to be something that Rodriguez openly oppose as he identified Bilingual education as “ ended” and “gone” (Torres 16). Similar implications occurs in the first chapter Arya when Rodriguez shares his childhood assimilation from a primary Spanish speaking child to an English speaking social citizen (Rodriguez). Language, Rodriguez reveals, is something that has had a fundamental structure in his life, hence his opposition to bilingualism. To emphasize,

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    According to the Society of Neuroscience, bilingualism not only improves an individual's concentration ability, but might also protect the human brain against age-related diseases (Susan Perry). There is no doubt that bilingualism brings out individual cognitive benefits. But, what about collective advantages? James Fallows effectively addresses those benefits in his article "Viva Bilingualism. "…

    • 1358 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Rodriguez details how he becomes a sholarship boy, and the effect his transformation has on himself and his family. Learning English has a profund impact on Rodriguez and his siblings. The lack of English vocabulary that Rodriguez 's parents possess also has great influence on the Rodriguez…

    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the passage from Days of Obligation by Richard Rodriguez, Rodriguez showcases his conflicting opinions about both California and Mexico, as he looks back on his life in reverse. Through the dialog and details, Rodriguez gives off an indecisive, yet passionate tone, which allows the reader to question the two conflicting opinions. The first section, containing the first and second paragraph, introduces the idea of the conflicting opinions. Rodriguez juxtaposes the words comedy and tragedy, while also opening up the discussion of contrasting Mexico and California. The use of rhetorical question allows the reader to think about the question and sets up an area for Rodriguez’s response below.…

    • 573 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In “Hunger Of Memory”, Rodriguez wrote an admirable prologue in which he introduced himself. An introduction, not only built by his past but also by the common misconceptions from his surroundings. In the prologue, I noticed how Rodriguez exposed numerous signs of rejection from such categorisations. To provide an example; the author stated that “There are those in White America who would anoint me to play out for them some drama of ancestral reconciliation” (3).…

    • 227 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many teachers don’t have the patient to work with students who speak their household English. They tend to latch off the child and pay attention to those who understand it better. According to Richard Rodriguez’ essay, “Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood” teachers have shown to be tough minded towards students and not care about the difficulties a student may have. “Fortunately, my teachers were unsentimental about their responsibility. What they understood was that I needed to speak a public language” (Rodriguez).…

    • 323 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood Rodriguez talk’s about what can be viewed as “the thing and the other thing.” “The thing” is growing up bilingual. The “other thing” is bilingual schooling and the world’s interaction with bilinguals as children. Although the main chunk of the essay is about Rodriguez’s personal experience, he returns to the subject of bilingual schooling a few times throughout it.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As a child of a migrant you’re told to go to school, study hard, learn the language, and engulf yourself in the new culture, because it is now apart of your identity. In Richard Rodriguez’s autobiography Hunger of Memory and the film The Class directed by Laurent Cantet both develop a theme that a…

    • 1733 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Aside from the adjustment that she had to make when participating in extracurricular activities while maintaining her academic performance, there were a few things that she did when doing her work, that was different than the way we (mainstream American students) interacted with it. I will never forget her mini laptop looking translator! She used it a lot, especially in classes like biology and English, when a lot of the words that were being taught were not words frequently used amongst she and her peers. This translator helped her a lot because she was able to decode the meaning of words without having to constantly ask the people around her. She would type the word in English into the translator and in turn be given the definition of the…

    • 1863 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to the autobiography Hunger of Memory in the perspective of Richard Rodriguez, he gives an insight on the term ‘ghetto.’ ‘Ghetto’ in his view can be interpreted as a minority group. I believe this is what Rodriguez was trying to describe because in the text he uses the word towards a classroom while students are wandering off in his lecture except one student. He compares the student who is attentive to his lecture to himself in his childhood years for the determination to learn. As the girl nods, raises her hand to answer questions, and even takes notes, he relates the similarities between them for the anxiousness to improve in their education and gain knowledge.…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dedication and attainment towards language and literature filled Rodriquez, and although it must have been an achievement that he was proud of, he was still put to a sort of loss, believing that he had “violated the idea of the macho.” The use of the word, ‘violated,’ and italicized word, ‘macho,’ along with his heritage, showed how much of importance that ideal must have been. Emphasis is put on how he felt as though he had completely failed to meet the idea of what his family and others would deem macho, something that must have been of importance if italicized like other important points in the autobiography, just because of his newfound dedication towards the English culture of language and…

    • 592 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Rodriguez supports his argument against bilingual education by using mainly the contrast technique in order for the readers to become more sensitive to his topic and argument Richard’s entire essay is based on the contrast between “the loss” in private and “the gain” in public. By presenting those two opposed extremes, readers become more sensitive to his argument as his essay becomes more realistic. In the part of the private loss, Ricardo faces problems at home, since he came to believe…

    • 1299 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The writer uses a tone similar to if he was speaking to a friend. This type of tone is useful because it helps the reader feel comfortable and able to understand the claims from the author’s point of view. With this tone comes a simplistic use of the English language, in fact Rodriguez spent years of education studying the English language (Moyers 2003). Compared to a formal essay, this piece of writing is able to convey its meaning in a friendly straightforward way, which is effective in order to connect with the…

    • 1074 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My Bilingual Analysis

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Bilingualism, the act of being fluent in two languages, plays an essential factor in my life. To me my bilingualism represents my connection to the culture, traditions, and history of my family. A majority of my family and I speak English and Castillo, a dialect of Spanish. My bilingualism and those languages make up an important part of my identity for due to my bilingualism I get a mixture of cultures and traditions that I believe influenced my personality as I grew up.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Bilingual Brain

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Ever thought about learning a second language? Now you've got a great reason to do it - new research finds that if you learn another language you might just protect yourself against memory robbing, life altering, Alzheimer's disease. It appears that the brains of bilingual people work better for a good while longer after they get this disease. The latest findings come from a group of researchers at Toronto's York University who tested almost 450 patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's, half of whom spoke two languages and half who spoke a single language.…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over the past few decades, researchers have agreed that different types of human experiences and capabilities, such as being bilingual, can alter the structure and function of the brain over time. However, there has been a lack of research concerning other aspects of bilingualism. This has created the impression that the effects of bilingualism are well understood and very specific, when in reality, bilingualism causes profound changes to the way in which the brain functions and scientists have not completely understood why or how this happens. Additionally, the lack of research focusing on the effects bilingualism has on children has led to the absence of an education geared towards their specific needs and advantages.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays