Essay on Richard Rodriguezs Hunger of Memory - 1116 Words

Richard Rodriguezs Hunger of Memory The universal quot;growing painsquot; that all children experience in one form or another are easily recognized in Richard Rodriguez’s autobiographical excerpt from Hunger of Memory. Rodriguez’s childhood was particularly unique given the fact that while he was born and raised in the United States, he was strongly influenced in the ethnic environment of a Spanish family. Although the reader is introduced to only a short excerpt from the autobiography, he learns a great deal about Rodriguez’s family and his relationship to it, his conflict of speaking English versus Spanish, and the paradox that became evident as he used English as his primary language.†¦show more content†¦In his autobiography, at the young age of seven, he did not see himself as an American citizen like the other children in his class, and this discouraged him from readily learning English. #9;Ultimately, Rodriguez did learn to speak the public language. Some of the teachers at Rodriguez’s school were concerned with his and his siblings unresponsiveness in class and their unwillingness to speak English. They spoke with his parents and suggested that speaking English at home would make an easier transition for the children rather than switching back and forth. It was not until later in his life that Rodriguez realized that his teachers’ actions were ones to appreciate. #9;The conflict between speaking Spanish and speaking English had come to a head. No longer did Rodriguez hear the warm sounds of Spanish fill his house. Speaking English began to separate his family. As he and his siblings began speaking more and more English outside of the home, primarily at school, the parents had a more difficult time communicating with their children and, therefore, conversations became strained and less frequent. While his home life considerably changed, Rodriguez’s life at school became drastically different. #9;Previously reserved and unsure, Rodriguez became more confident. Speaking English made him more vocal in class and he had an easier timeShow MoreRelated Richard Rodriguezs Autobiography Hunger of Memory Essay1111 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Rodriguezs Autobiography Hunger of Memory There exists in the majority of people a schism between their public lives and their private lives. People should desire to have their public selves match their private selves as closely as possible. A rift between the two causes nothing but pain and suffering for everyone around those people and places a heavy burden on the spirit of the ones responsible. Trust and honesty are essential to our society and the truth should be complimentaryRead MoreEducation In Richard Rodriguezs The Hunger Of Memory977 Words   |  4 PagesRichard Rodriguez, the author of â€Å"The Hunger of Memory,† is a Mexican man who rose above prejudices to become a distinguished member of society through education. Sherman Alexie, the author of â€Å"Superman and Me,† is a Native American man who grew up on an Indian reservation with a love of books and a penchant for learning in an attempt to exceed further than the predetermined path set in front of him. Rodriguez perceives education as somethi ng that has built a division between him and his family butRead MoreAnalysis Of Richard Rodriguezs Hunger Of Memory1003 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Rodriguez, the author of Hunger of Memory, is a Mexican man who rose above prejudices to become a distinguished member of society through education. 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Not allowing him to be outside for to long.Read More James Baldwin’s Visions Of America and Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory3465 Words   |  14 PagesJames Baldwin’s Visions Of America and Richard Rodriguez’s Hunger of Memory  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Many immigrant and minority narratives concentrate their efforts on the positive side of the American dream. These particular stories narrate a persons struggle and rise through the ranks of the Am6rican hierarchy focusing on the opportunities that seem to abound in this country. While these stories are well and good. they do seem to soft peddle the flip side of this countrys attitude toward the immigrant andRead MoreSummary of the Book Hunger of Memory and Response to It.1124 Words   |  5 Pagesheavy burden on the spirit of the ones responsible. Trust and honesty are essential to our society and the truth should be complimentary, not earned. Richard Rodriguez, a writer and public speaker, expertly illustrates his own experience with this type of double life in his autobiography, Hunger of Memory. In the last section of Hunger of Memory Mr. Secrets, Rodriguez paints an intimate portrait of his parents distinction between public and private life. He starts this by mentioning his mothersRead MoreAnalysis of Hunger of Memory and Self Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesWhile I read The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez, there were tons of ideas that struck me. It was very interesting because so many of the different parts could relate to my life. Also, given his story, its so interesting to me that he is against bilingual education, having benefited from it in his own life. To me, it places the book in a different light as I read it. This book is a narrative and it is telling in how his opinions were formed because the experiences thatRead MoreRichard Rodriguez s Hunger Of Memory 974 Words   |  4 Pages Growing up from a different culture, Richard Rodriguez looks back on his experience on how he faced the situation as the child of Mexican immigrants. Accord ing to his 1982 memoir, â€Å"Hunger of Memory†, Rodriguez uses his own observation â€Å"to argue that if the children of immigrants are to succeed in the United States, they must separate themselves from their home culture and immerse themselves in the English oriented atmosphere of the American school† (980). In â€Å"Aria†, Rodriguez has created an autobiographicRead MoreHunger of Memory Essay595 Words   |  3 PagesIn Hunger of Memory, Richard Rodriguez situates his individual experiences with education in such a way as to expose what he sees as the fallacious logic behind bilingual education and affirmative action. He uses arguments to propagate the systematic problems with such programs. His autobiography explains in great detail the entangling problems all American children face by instituting bilingual programs and affirmative action endorsements. Bilingual education offers a completely different worldRead MoreHunger of Memory2061 Words   |  9 PagesHunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodrà ­guez Hunger of Memory is an autobiography of the writer Richard Rodrà ­guez and his transition from youth to manhood told through a series of recollected stories. The premise of his writing was centered mainly on his struggle to maintain both his Mexican heritage and closeness to his Spanish-speaking family, while at the same time being assimilated into American culture and obtaining an advanced education. Within the book Richard Rodrà ­guez