Blog #8 Aria by Richard Rodriguez

-

Quotes from Aria by Richard Rodriguez

The passage Aria by Richard Rodriguez was a personal but powerful reflection of his life. He explores his emotions of being a child and transitioning languages and cultures and how it affects him. The change of languages was beneficial but mentally tolling and he tried to express himself but didn't know how to.

#1: “What I needed to learn in school was that I had the right—and the obligation—to speak the public language of los gringos.”

This quote expresses Rodriguez's success in learning the American language was not only helpful but important to his career. When Rodriguez said that the language was a "public language" it shows that it presents itself with opportunity and acceptance. It was important because it helped Rodriguez realize that our language is more than communication it can be used as access to knowledge.

#2: “In that moment of trivial misunderstanding and profound insight, I felt my throat twisted by unsounded grief.”

This moment occurs when Rodriguez walks into the kitchen and hears his parents switch from Spanish to English upon seeing him. What could seem like a small change and the loss of his "home" feels deeply painful.  The "unsounded grief" is him not being able to speak about how he felt about the little changes because speaking Spanish represented his home and past life. This is important to the text cause it provides an emotional turning point for the passage.

#3: “After English became my primary language, I no longer knew what words to use in addressing my parents.”

This quote expresses Rodriguez's personal conflict with how he should address his parents. When talking in Spanish it reminded him of the change that he went through but at the same time, English felt awkward to speak to his parents. This was important because it shows that he was stuck between two languages and didn't know what to choose because trying to connect with his parents in one way or another. The loss of his prior language is a loss of emotional connection to his past.

Overall, becoming fluent in English was one of the best things that Richard Rodriguez did for himself because it gave him access to public knowledge and life. This came at a personal level of cost and hurt. The passage is calling out the errors and hardships in bilingual education and if it prolongs the process rather than erases it.

Do you think that you could ever fully learn a new language and culture without losing who you once were?



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Post #2 The Silenced Dialogue by Lisa Delpit

-
Image
 The argument about the relationship between language, power, and education by Lisa Delpit .           The readings discuss how language and power are connected in education. The author explains that students should not have to give up the way they naturally speak but should also learn the standard way of writing and speaking to succeed in school and work. The text highlights the importance of teaching students these language skills while also respecting their cultural backgrounds. By sharing personal stories and teaching ideas, the author encourages a fair and open discussion about language and how schools can better support all students. The author presents a few main arguments throughout the reading:      First, they argue that students, particularly those from excluded communities, must learn the "codes of power" to succeed in mainstream society. Without clear teaching of these language rules and behaviors, students might have ...
Read more

Blog Post #1 - Power, Privilege, and Difference by Alan Johnson

-
Image
Quotes from Dr. Alan Johnson and the Reality of Power, Privilege, and Difference      "You can't deal with a problem if you don't name it; once you name it, you can think, talk, and write about it." This quote emphasizes the importance of identifying and labeling issues. By naming a problem, it becomes tangible and can be addressed through discussion and analysis. This is relevant because it highlights the first step in tackling social issues: recognition. Once a problem is recognized and named, it allows for a common language to be developed around it, enabling more effective communication and collaboration in finding solutions. "People don't want to look because they don't want to know what it has to do with them and how doing something about it might change not only the world, but themselves." This quote explains why people often resist acknowledging social issues like racism or sexism. It suggests that people fear the personal and societal change...
Read more

Blog Post #4: The System Isn't Broken...

-
Image
 A Short History of Public Schooling For my blog today, I used Marco's blog as the center of my own to reflect and share for this blog post. I chose his blog because I agree with a lot of the points he brought up and I have my own personal connections and thoughts to add on.  Marco's blog post makes some really interesting points about how public schooling has changed. I agree that Horace Mann's idea of public education was groundbreaking, but I think part of the system could still use some work. For example, the focus on standardized testing and strict curriculums can really hold back creativity and the different ways kids learn. Personally, for me, I am not good with standardized testing at all. I get very anxious and nervous because I don't want to fail. I mean, who wants to fail at something they know deep down they are good at and have knowledge of?  When we look at how education used to happen at home compared to today’s public schools, it shows a big change in ho...
Read more